He Was Gone
by Azully
Summary: Kevin's attention was drawn from the conversation by light laughter a ways to his left. Tilting his head slightly, he caught a glimpse of someone in particular. He watched as the boy's eyes lit up as he spoke. He had fallen hard. Rated T for naughty words. KevEdd
1. Chapter 1

Hey! Chapter 1! I wanted to give this story a shot and ended up putting in a lot more effort than I had planned.

So, I am very sure that these ideas have all been written in this fandom before. So, apologies and kudos to those who wrote them first. You are obviously cooler than me. (Also, if any specific fics come to mind, pm me a link so I can check them out. :D )

Review if you wish. But keep in mind that (even a couple words or an emoji) will literally make my day. XD

Anyway, enough of me. Enjoy. And let me know what you think. Good or bad.

* * *

Kevin's attention was drawn from the conversation by light laughter a ways to his left. Tilting his head slightly, he caught a glimpse of the three boys a few tables over. His gaze focused on one in particular. Kevin watched as the boy's eyes lit up as he spoke, obviously a topic endeared to him. Suddenly, the light faded as he listened to a comment from the shorter boy to his right. Eddy and Double D always seemed to be fighting. After what seemed like a few scolding words, Edd turned to eat the lunch in front of him, dropping the previous conversation.

"Hey. Kev!"

He snapped his head around to the blonde next to him, "What's up, Nazz?"

Her face fell, and her eyes slipped to a glare, "What's the deal with you lately? It's like you can never listen to anyone for more than two seconds."

"It's nothing. I think I'm just tired." He glanced back towards his left to see the three boys moving to leave the lunchroom. Nazz's gaze followed his for a second before she figured it out.

"You could just, you know, talk to him?"

"Wh-What?" Kevin whipped his head back around and glared at the table. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"C'mon, Kev. You've been acting like this for months. Nothing is going to happen unless you talk to him."

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, noting the concern in her eyes. She was his best friend, so she was only looking out for him. But there was no way he could just go up and talk to the dork.

"He wouldn't want to talk to me. I'm sure I would just bother him." Kevin stated with a sigh.

"More than Eddy annoys him? It seems to me like he can handle some pretty annoying people." She gave him a smirk, attempting to poke the encouraging words into his arm.

"Yeah, but that's different. He's been friends with Eddy for, like, ever. And Eddy didn't pick on him like I did."

She laughed slightly, "No. Eddy picks on him way more than you ever did."

His thoughts trailed back to the moment Edd's face faded to a scowl and the way he seemed to scold his friend for the words. What could that jerk have said to make that light dim from those blue eyes? Kevin couldn't imagine ever being the cause for those eyes to be so dark.

"Dude, just start with saying 'hi' and go from there. There's no way you would annoy him with a simple 'hey'." She grinned at him, poking his arm once again.

He gave yet another sigh. "All right, I guess I can do that."

* * *

Kevin slammed his locker closed and shoved a notebook into his bag. Zipping it up, he headed down the hall. He had spent the last half of the day figuring out just what sort of "hi" he should give. As he noticed the black beanie heading towards him, he began to lose his nerve. However, it was now or never, and he really did not want to face the wrath of Nazz if he failed. At least the other two Eds were nowhere to be seen.

As he was passing the shorter boy, Kevin raised his arm in a wave. "Hey, Double D."

He turned quickly to the sound of his name, confused at first by the voice. Kevin could see the recognition wash over him as he broke into a grin. "Why, greetings, Kevin."

That gap-toothed smile brought slight warmth to his cheeks and butterflies to his stomach. It also instilled a little more courage, "Hey, I-I was just wondering if you… if you wanted to hang out sometime. " Kevin flashed him the most confident grin he could muster after stuttering through such a simple question.

He braced himself for rejection before noticing the boy widening his simile.

"Why, of course, Kevin. I would be more than happy to spend some time with you- er, ah…. 'hang out' with you." He grinned proudly at the correction and use of the term.

Kevin tried to keep himself under control. He could feel his cheeks burning slightly hotter and tried his best to contain his smile. He didn't want to seem too eager, "Cool, uh… so, tomorrow, maybe?" He was starting to push his luck, and Kevin could feel it.

The boy thought for a second, surely going through his whole schedule and every assignment due for the next month, but eventually answered, "Yes, I am available tomorrow."

As his luck was officially pushed off a cliff, Kevin decided to get the hell out of there before anything went downhill. He turned towards the exit, throwing a wave and a smile over his shoulder, "Awesome! See you tomorrow, then!"

He hardly caught the slight tilt of Edd's hand as he waved back before he was out the door.

* * *

School normally dragged on forever, but the next day was so much worse. After talking to Double D, Kevin had rushed over to Nazz's to regale her of his tale of heroics and bravery. During which, he quickly realized that he had no idea what the hell he was doing.

He had been pacing around her room for a full ten minutes. "What will we do? Where will we even go? I mean, I can't ask him to come over and play video games or something like that?"

Nazz, laying on her bed with her head hanging, upside-down, over the edge, gave him a confused look, "And why not?"

"Because! Because! This is Edd we're talking about. I can't just ask him to play _videogames_. I don't even know if he even cares about videogames. I guess we could watch a movie, but what kinds of movies does he even like? Hell, does he even like movies? Fuck, what am I gonna do?"

"First, dude, you're gonna chill. You're freaking out way too much over this. Just take a breath for a second. No matter what you pick, I'm sure that he will be cool with it. You keep on forgetting who he spends most of his time around. There is no way in hell you could be as obnoxious as Eddy or pick something as weird as Ed. Whatever you do will better than those two. So, just chill." Nazz always seemed to know exactly what to say to get through his thick skull.

"Yeah, I guess so," was the only (and lamest) thing Kevin could say.

After brainstorming for what seemed like hours, he decided to simply ask Edd what he wanted to do. That way, there could be no way the nerd would be bored.

* * *

Having come to that conclusion, Kevin was left with nothing to think about all school day except for Edd and exactly how nervous he was. He did realize that this was a big improvement over the day before but was still freaking. The red head did absolutely no homework the night before and took absolutely no notes in any class. There was no way he could focus on some old teacher guy when he had a date with such a cutie that afternoon. Well, not a date per se….

The final bell could not come fast enough as Kevin bolted out of his seat and to his locker. He stared at the contents for a second realizing that he had no idea what homework was assigned that day. He decided to just grab all his notebooks and text around for the assignments later that night. (Although a part of him wondered if he would manage to do any homework at all.)

After slamming his locker closed, he made his way towards Edd's locker, hoping that the other two would once again be far away. Turning the corner, he realized that his luck had, in fact, fallen over the cliff the day before. (He began to hope that it wasn't too much of a drop.) Eddy and Ed were standing with Double D at his locker, seemingly irritated.

As he got closer, Kevin could hear the conversation, "What do you mean you can't walk with us? We were gonna hang today. I got a new idea last block and I need your big brain!" Eddy poked Double D's forehead with the last statement.

"As I told you before, Eddy, I have made plans. Your _idea_ will just have to wait until tomorrow." Double D turned back to his locker, grabbing out a notebook and a text and placing them carefully into his bag.

"It can't wait till tomorrow, Sockhead! It need to be toda—"

Ed cut off Eddy with tears in his eyes, "Double D! We were going to watch the new Ninja Alien Invasion movie today!"

Double D placed a comforting hand on Ed's shoulder, "It is fine, Ed. We can watch it together this weekend." He gave his taller friend a smile.

Before Eddy could butt in once again, Kevin cleared his throat and gave the three a grin.

"Oh, greetings, Kevin! Give me one moment to gather the rest of my required items."

The red head gave him a slight nod, "'Course."

" _This_ is who you're blowing us off for? Shovelchin? Are you shittin' me?" Eddy's voice rang loud in the emptying hall.

Edd turned to him, clearly irritated, "Yes, Eddy. I have made plans with Kevin. And, no, I am not _shit-ting_ you."

Kevin tried his best not to laugh at the adorable attempt at cussing. He could feel the dagger-sharp glare sent his way by Eddy.

"You can't be serious. There's no fucking way you would ditch us for this assho—"

The look in Edd's eyes was enough to shut Eddy up, but the slam of the locker door solidified the situation, "Yes, Eddy, I am serious. And I would appreciate it if you would watch your language." He gave a slight huff before turning on his heel, "Please, Kevin, let us depart."

Kevin nodded, jogging a couple steps to catch up with him. As they exited the building and turned toward the cul-de-sac, Kevin glanced in Edd's direction. He was still fuming but seemed to be calming down considerably. He had a remarkable ability to keep his cool.

"Hey. I-uh… I didn't mean to cause problems with your friends." Kevin rubbed the back of his neck as he spoke, feeling awkward.

Edd gave a slight sigh. "No, Kevin. It is not your fault in the slightest. Sometimes, Eddy seems to believe that I belong to him. He doesn't always understand when I desire to take part in activities that do not include him. He has acted this way since we were children."

"Yeah… but he doesn't own you."

Kevin heard him laugh lightly, turning his head quickly in hopes to catch his smile. His hopes died slightly as he saw Edd's hand covering his mouth, covering that adorable gap in his adorable smile. But at least Kevin knew he was smiling.

"Yes, Kevin. I do, in fact, know that." He stated with slight sass.

"Then why doesn't Eddy?"

"Well, Eddy knows. He just does not always act in a way that is representative of that knowledge. He has a tendency to speak before analyzing his words."

"So… You're saying that he doesn't always mean what he says?"

"Precisely, Eddy hardly ever applies thought to his words."

"Okay. I guess I get it… a little…"

Edd let out a small chuckle, "I am certain that you grasp more than you may note at this time."

"Maybe." Kevin took the opportunity to change the subject. He didn't want to spend all his time with Double D talking about Eddy. "So, uh, what exactly do you want to do today?"

"Oh, I hadn't thought about it. I suppose I had assumed you would have an activity planned."

"Nah, wasn't thinkin' much about it, really." Kevin silently prayed that Edd wouldn't catch onto his lie.

Edd shifted his gaze to the ground, pulling his beanie down a little further. After a moment, he spoke in a soft voice, "I guess I could provide some options, although I do fear that none of them will be to your liking."

Kevin glanced at him, noticing the change in his voice. Was he… self-conscious? The red head gave him a confident smile, hoping it would rub off, "Nah, lay 'em on me. I'm sure I'll be cool with 'em." In reality, it didn't matter one bit what they did. Kevin just wanted to spend the afternoon with the boy.

Double D sighed a little before speaking again, "Well, I would suggest we attend to our homework assignments, but I am sure that would not be enjoyable for you."

Kevin silently cursed himself for not paying attention in class. He could have gotten help from the little dork. And he could have totally sat close to him and played it up. _Dammit!_ Kevin rifled through his obviously empty skull for an excuse. (He couldn't tell _Edd_ that he hadn't paid attention to a single word in school the entire day.) He could tell the silence was growing a little too long. "I, uh… I would, but uh… I sort of promised Nazz that we would work on it together later."

Edd nodded slightly, "Oh, yes. Nazz. Of course. A gentleman should keep his promises."

Kevin noticed the way that Edd had said her name was a little off. It took him a moment to realize that he (like the rest of the school) probably thought they were dating. "Well, uh… yeah. We're in all the same classes this year, you see, and… and she's my best friend, so I can't bail, you know?" Kevin scrambled, hoping the small hint would be picked up by the other boy.

"Yes, I see." His smile seemed to return slightly, but Kevin simply shoved that idea aside, deeming it to be his own imagination.

"So, uh… we could do something else, though." The red head began to feel frantic as they neared home.

"Yes… What variety of activities do you enjoy, Kevin?" Edd shifted his gaze to look up at the other boy.

Kevin tried his best to remain calm as he realized that they were back to where they started. He decided to roll with it and hope that Edd chose something that he honestly wanted to do. "Well, I like video games, and movies, and riding my bike. I don't know… Um… Cooking can be fun sometimes. Like, I'll help my mom with dinner and stuff. And, uh… I like… uh… football?" It was very clear that he had reached the end of his list.

"I suppose we can occupy ourselves with video games. I must admit that I am not very well versed in such things, but I have played some with Ed in the past."

"Awesome. That works. Just promise me that you'll tell me if you get bored." Kevin turned down his driveway, pulling his keys out of his backpack.

"Of course, Kevin." He gave a smile as the door was unlocked and they stepped inside.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2!**

 **This is a special case because I am super into this right now. Please don't expect two uploads in a week to be a regular occurrence. Haha! I'm sorry I'm not that good.**

 **In other news, my darling little sister drew me a cover photo for this story, so that is included as well.**

 **Let's get on with this. Let me know all your thoughts!**

* * *

"Fucking shit!" Kevin mashed his finger on the button of the controller as his character fell to the ground, dead.

"Language, Kevin." Edd scolded him quietly as he continued to battle the other characters in the game.

"This isn't fair! You didn't tell me you actually knew how to play." Kevin dropped his controller beside him on the couch. He was out until the match was over.

"I did not realize how similar this would be to Ed's games. I suppose I have had more practice at them than I had thought. Also, I do believe that Ed is much more skilled at this than you." Edd smiled slightly with the insult.

"Yeah? I guess anyone would be better than me if they spent as much time playing as Ed does. These games are like all he talks about, right?"

"That is not quite true, Kevin." Edd finished off the final enemy and set his controller onto the coffee table in front of them. "He talks about a variety of topics. Although he is well versed in video games, he also has vast knowledge of comics and movies. He also enjoys animals, and although he does not know much about caring for them, he can generally handle them pretty well."

"Really? Huh, I guess I never really had the chance to talk to the guy." Kevin felt mildly guilty at his previous comment. He took a moment to scold himself at bringing up the topic before he spoke, "So, uh, what about Eddy… Does he have a secret side? Maybe one that's all soft and mushy?" Kevin tried to keep the evil grin off his face.

Edd gave a slight laugh, "Well, not quite. He can be brilliant sometimes, however rarely, but generally does not apply much thought to anything he does. He can be rather insightful and considerate at times. Although, he does go to great lengths to disguise it as gaining profit from the situation."

Kevin nodded, keeping a sigh to himself. They kept managing to land on talking about Eddy. Kevin took a moment, grinning to himself as he realized how to turn the conversation around. "What about you, Double D? Do you have a secret side?" He could not keep the grin off his face as the other boy blushed slightly and pulled his beanie down a little further, keeping his eyes to the floor.

"I, uh, I… suppose… maybe…" Edd stammered incoherently before jolting his head up to look straight at Kevin. "Do you?"

Kevin laughed loudly at the boy's response. Of course he was smart enough to turn the question on Kevin, he should have guessed it would be that way. Kevin tried to remain calm. "Hell, yeah, I do." He laughed some more to add a little more confidence.

Edd was clearly surprised. He hadn't expected Kevin to just flat out admit to it. "So, uh… what is it? What's your secret side?"

"Can't tell you." Kevin tried to keep the grin on his face as he crossed his arms and glanced away, losing whatever confidence he had rather quickly.

"What?"

"I can't tell you yet. "

Edd stared at him for a moment before leaning back a little, "All right. I suppose that is okay." He didn't want to reveal things about himself yet, either.

After a few more rounds of Edd "kicking Kevin's ass" at video games, Edd stood, packing his belongings to head home.

"Well, I uh… I had fun." Edd gave Kevin a grin as he adjusted his bag on his shoulder.

Kevin grinned right back, "Yeah! So did I. We should hang out more often." He tried his best to sound casual.

Kevin could just barely see Edd's eyes light up a little more. "Oh, yes! I would enjoy that." They stood for a moment before Edd turned toward the door. "I supposed I should head back. Thank you, Kevin, for inviting me into your home."

Just as the boy reached the door, Kevin leaned over, grabbing his wrist. "Hey, uh… could I, uh… see your phone real quick?" Edd looked at him, confused, yet handed the device over. Kevin saved his number into the contacts before sending himself a text. He didn't want to let Edd leave without getting his number.

He handed the phone back to Edd, "There. Text or call me anytime." Kevin smiled confidently, hoping that he sounded smooth.

"Oh, yes. Of course! Thank you again, Kevin." And with that, the dork was out the door and across the street.

* * *

"So you survived?" Nazz's laugh filtered oddly over the speaker.

"Yeah, I guess." Kevin ran a hand through his hair, having thrown his cap to the floor beside his bed before calling Nazz. "I mean, we just played video games and shit and didn't really talk much. But I got his number." He couldn't keep the grin off his face.

"Congrats, dude! Maybe now you can grow a pair and ask him out." Nazz laughed, waiting for a reaction from the red head.

Kevin began to choke on his own saliva. Once he regained the ability to breathe, he returned the phone to his ear, "What? What are you talking about? I'm not going to just ask him out. He'd probably just laugh in my face. And then I wouldn't… I wouldn't get to…" Kevin lost his words in a frown.

"What? Wouldn't get to hang out with him? Or see his adorable little smile?" Nazz was pushing the line. "Dude, you need to think more positive. How do you know that he won't say yes?"

"How about because he won't? He probably isn't even into guys. And even if he is, I picked on him a lot when we were kids. He wouldn't want to go out with me."

"Well, he clearly doesn't have any problems with spending hours with you alone in your house." Nazz pointed this out validly.

"I guess that's true. But still… I'm just starting to be friends with him. I don't want to ruin that just yet."

"Fine, nerd. Have it your way. But you will do it eventually. Or you'll be answering to me."

Kevin laughed at her attempt to threaten him, "Yeah, yeah. Okay. But, hey. I'm gonna go try and do this homework. See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, yeah. Goodbye, lover-boy."

* * *

Edd walked down the empty hall. He had stayed late after school to ask some AP Chemistry questions. He made his way to his locker, substituting his Chemistry textbook with some others. As he was placing these carefully into his backpack, he heard commotion coming from the end of the hall. Turning his head, he could see a mass of football players making their way back to the locker room from practice. Double D quickly zipped up his bag and made for the opposite direction. He didn't need any of them noticing him there. It seems the idea was hopeless as he heard his name being called.

"Edd! Hey, Edd. Wait." The red head jogged up to the boy, grin plastered to his face. He hadn't expected to see Double D at all that day.

Edd waited patiently for him to catch up before turning and walking again. He still felt the need to put as much distance as possible between himself and the buff, sweaty teens. "Salutations, Kevin."

"I had a question for you." Kevin jumped straight to the point. He couldn't take too much time or someone from the team would come looking for him. "Or, uh, more of a request, I guess."

"Yes, how can I assist you?"

"Well… y'see… I sort of have this test on Thursday, and I'm kinda screwed. I just, uh, y'think you'd be able to help me study? I mean, I get it if you're busy. I know you have tests, too." Kevin could tell that he was rambling, but he couldn't seem to stop himself.

"Why, of course, Kevin. I would be happy to aid you! Would you like to study tonight?" Edd offered this, noting that the exam was in two days.

Kevin's smile widened. "Yeah! That'd be awesome!"

"Okay. I will be at my home for the remainder of the day, so you may arrive at any time."

"Oh, yeah. Cool. I'll just text you when I'm on my way, then. See ya!" Kevin turned, running for the locker room. He showered and changed as quickly as he could (still finishing after most of the others had left).

* * *

Kevin penciled an answer onto his paper, turning it towards Edd. "So, like that?"

Edd beamed. "That is correct. Fantastic job, Kevin! You appear to be understanding."

"Nah, it's only 'cause you're better at teaching this shit than the teacher." Kevin let out a huff.

"Kevin! You should not speak in such a way! Such language is atrocious. And our teachers work very hard at their jobs; they very much deserve to be treated with respect." Edd shook his head slightly. "I never had expected you to hold such ideas."

Kevin dropped his head to rest on his arm. He hadn't meant to upset the boy; he was just mostly frustrated with himself. "No. Sorry, you're right. I should have tried harder. I'm sure he would answer questions and stuff if you ask him. I shouldn't'a said it." His mumbles were lost into his arm.

Edd sighed, fidgeting with his hat. "No, I suppose I should not supply such an intense reaction. It is merely so because many of our classmates, I find, are quite disrespectful to our teachers."

"No. No, you're totally right. Sometimes, they're just obnoxious to get a response." He paused for a moment, "but, hey. We should get back to studying. With your help, I'm sure even I can pass this thing." He let out a quick laugh before turning the pages in his text book to the next section.

Long after the sun had set, Kevin looked up from his work. "Yo, dude. Hey." Edd glanced over. "It's pro'bly about time I went home."

"Yes, I suppose it is. I apologize for not being of more help."

"Nah! You were great. I get it so much better now." Kevin had begun packing things away and stood to head for the door with Edd following.

"But there are still quite a few topics that we were unable to cover." Edd held his hand on the door knob for a moment.

"Hey, if you feel that bad about it, how 'bout we study some more tomorrow?"

He could see Edd's eyes widen slightly at the suggestion. "Yes! Of course, I would be more than happy!"

* * *

The study session the next day went just as well. Although they had not spoken of much outside of chemistry, Kevin found that he was happy with that. Especially as he turned to the first question on his exam, he actually knew what it was asking. He gave a slight smile as he remembered Edd animatedly explaining the concept before continuing with the rest of the questions.

The week finished and the next one started with almost no interaction between the two, merely passing greetings exchanged in the halls. He had attempted many times to start conversations with the dork, but dorkier and dorkiest always dragged him away. By Thursday, Kevin was fed up. However, by the end of school, he had the perfect excuse.

Once football practice let out, he rushed over to Edd's house, pounding on the door. As it opened, Kevin simply shoved the paper to Edd's face, unable to contain his emotions.

Edd looked over the sheets, flipping between them for a moment before glancing back at Kevin. "This… this is your exam?"

Kevin simply nodded.

"That is quite amazing!" The two grinned at each other for a moment before Edd motioned for Kevin to follow him inside, still looking over the exam. The boy paused in the kitchen, leaning against the counter. He placed the exam down on the surface and turned it to Kevin, pointing to a question, "Do you happen to understand your mistake in this answer?"

Upon looking at the red marks, Kevin nodded his head, "Yeah, I just mixed it around. It should have been this one."

The two continued to converse about the answers, both correct and incorrect. This went on until evening.

Kevin was staring at a question, digesting Edd's explanation. The silence was interrupted by a low growl. The red head was used to such noises originating from his stomach.

"I suppose we should prepare dinner." Edd moved towards the fridge.

* * *

Edd stood by the door once again. "Have a pleasant night, Kevin. I shall see you at school tomorrow."

Kevin picked up his bag, "Yeah, totally. Same to you, man." He stepped out onto the porch. He took a breath. If he didn't suggest something now, he was afraid they would fall back into the same rhythm of things. "Hey, we should hang out more often, dude. I mean, we could study together and stuff. You know…"

Edd nodded. "I had already planned on such, Kevin."


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello again! I'm posting this a day early because I am still very into this fic (and this is much more entertaining than writing a lab report).**

 **So, I love you all (whether you reviewed or not). But I do love the reviews! You all are fabulous!** **I am working ridiculously hard on this. Like, I should clearly put this much effort into my school work. So, I truly love all the favs/follows/reviews. It really does mean a ton to me. :D**

 **I will try to keep updates about posting dates on my profile (if anyone will be curious enough to check), basically just listing when I plan on posting the next chapter. I am happy to say that I am very much ahead of schedule. (I mean, this is technically three chapters in less than a week, sooo...) But I will probably stick to a somewhat regular schedule from here on out because I really do have lab reports to write and such.**

 **This chapter is pretty chill, but prepare for some spice coming up next week or so. I'm really excited to get into it!**

 **I love you all tons! Enjoy!**

* * *

Kevin leaned back in the chair, staring at the ceiling of Edd's kitchen. This was so boring. They had been "studying" for only about half an hour. Kevin rested his head on the back of his chair, attempting to balance his pencil on the end of his nose. After it fell on the ground a third time, he gave up, looking around for something else. Edd had yet to look up from the notes he was taking and seemed to not be aware that Kevin was even still there. After checking all his social media accounts for a third time since he arrived, Kevin pulled out a piece of paper, attempting to fold it into something (anything really). Once that failed, he resorted to folding it into a triangle and spinning it around on an end. Glancing at the boy across the table, Kevin tried to keep the grin from his face. Standing the paper up on an end once again, he used his other hand to flick it in the middle, sending it flying in Edd's direction. It hit his forehead with a 'tap' and landed on his notes. His eyes moved to look at Kevin while his head hardly moved.

"Oh, dude. Sorry." Kevin's eyes were glued to the floor as he muttered. He regretted the decision. He really didn't want to upset Double D; he wanted him to be happy, to smile with that little gap… or feel those lips against his own. Kevin felt the blush rising to his cheeks. Why did he let his mind wander around like that?

Kevin allowed himself a glance at Edd, worried after such a long silence. As his gaze lifted, however, he was startled by a white blur heading for his face. As he ducked quickly, he heard the paper bounce off his hat. He turned back to Edd with a slight smile that grew at the sight of the boy's own smirk.

"Really?"

They both let out a laugh as the "football" was flung back and forth. They had resorted to diving below the table and around corners as flicking faded into just tossing the paper at the other's head.

Kevin sat back onto a kitchen chair, holding his side after all that laughter. "Man."

Edd returned to his notes, glancing over them for a moment. "I suppose we did not achieve as much as we had originally planned."

The red head turned, slightly confused before he saw the homework abandoned on the table. "Yeah, that would be my fault."

"I cannot disagree." Edd's smirk returned.

"Yeah, whatever." He let out a slight laugh, hoping that Double D was not actually mad about their lack of studying. "Whatever, I promise that I'll actually study next time. How's that?"

"I suppose I can settle for that."

* * *

Kevin dropped his textbook onto the coffee table with a groan. He let his arm drop off the couch and to the floor as he laid back. "I can't do this anymore." He moved his other arm to rub at his eyes. "Too much."

Edd tried to contain his laughter from his spot on the floor across the coffee table from Kevin. He moved Kevin's textbook from covering his own homework, "I suppose we have been at this for quite a while."

"We've been doing homework forever! How are you not dying?" Kevin added to his dramatic exaggeration with another groan.

"I suppose I am more accustomed to reading for longer stretches of time than you."

"What? Are you calling me stupid?" Kevin tried to hide his grin, knowing full well what the nerd had been trying to express.

"What! No! Kevin, I was merely trying to state that—" Edd was cut off by a pillow thrown to his face. He caught it as it fell to his lap, looking back at Kevin with a glare.

"I know what you were trying to say, dork." He laughed as he pulled his arm over his eyes again. They still stung from so much reading. He supposed that Double D must really spend a lot of time reading and doing homework for such a thing to not bother him at all. They had been sitting in Kevin's living room for almost three hours, both boys focusing on their work non-stop. Kevin knew the boy didn't do much as far as watching television or playing videogames (aside from his time spent with the other Eds.) But Kevin didn't realize just how much time the boy spent on learning. No wonder he got such good gr—.

Kevin was jolted from his thoughts with the force of the pillow hitting his head. He blinked a couple of times before turning to Edd with a grin. "So that's how you want to play it, huh?" Kevin jumped up, swiping a pillow before rolling over the back of the couch. He darted around the side, aiming the pillow for Edd's stomach. After the blow hit, Kevin jumped back slightly, effectively avoiding Edd's strike. Kevin leapt back onto the couch, standing on the middle cushion.

"Kevin, you should not place your feet—" Edd's words were lost with a bop to his head. Kevin hopped over to stand on the chair, laughing at Edd's complaints. "Kevin!"

"Dude, you've got to ignore a few rules if you want to win this game." He grinned, avoiding yet another attempted strike from Edd.

"I do not see the reasoning behind such logic. One should follow all rules to win fairly and truly." Double D moved to try to dodge Kevin's next attack, yet still felt the blow to his shoulder.

"Well, not in this game." Kevin laughed again as the other boy stumbled a little, the last hit throwing off his balance. "This game has different rules."

"And what, pray tell, might those be?" Edd gave him a look that expressed his disbelief.

"Oh… uh… there-there are no rules." Kevin grinned at what he believed to be wit. However, the smile slowly fell as he noticed one upon the other boy's lips.

"Is that so?" And with that, Edd tossed the pillow at Kevin, aiming right for his face. Double D then crouched down, picking up another pillow from the floor, launching that at Kevin before grabbing his first pillow and holding it in front of his body as a shield. As the second pillow knocked the cap off Kevin's head, the boy found himself to be losing his balance. He gripped the back of the chair, preventing himself from tumbling to the floor.

With a glare, Kevin tossed the pillow from his hand, giving it a spin like a Frisbee. Double D tried to block it with his shield, yet only succeeded in altering its direction upward slightly, straight towards his head. With a small duck, Edd could feel the beanie slipping off his head with the friction of the pillow. He gave a small yelp before dropping his pillow and clutching to the fabric. After adjusting the hat's placement to his liking, Edd turned to Kevin with a glare, "Kevin!"

"Shit. Sorry. Sorry." Kevin had jumped down from his perch, hopping over to the other boy. He scratched at his cheek, muttering another apology while staring at the floor. The red head raised his eyes to the other boy slowly, taking a second to register the grin on Edd's face. After a moment, the two boys broke out into hysterical laughter.

"That… that was fun." Edd had managed to collect himself, wiping a few tears from his eyes.

"Yeah!" Kevin, still fighting fits of laughter, clutched his stomach and dropped onto the couch. He scooted to the side, allowing Edd to join him on the cushions. The two sat in silence while Kevin continued to fight back giggles.

After a moment, Edd spoke up. "So, is this part of your secret side?" Kevin glanced over to see the mischievous grin on Edd's face.

"Huh? Oh, uh… I guess you could say that… it's a little part…" He tried to keep the blush from his cheeks. He didn't even know why he was embarrassed. "There're other parts to it."

"Like what?" Edd was grinning at him with a light in his eyes, and Kevin could just barely make out a hint of red on the boy's cheeks. Kevin couldn't help but think that it was almost the same expression he made in class.

"I-I don't know. Um…" Kevin shifted his gaze to the floor in thought. "I guess I'm just not exactly what everyone thinks of me. People make a lot of assumptions and they generally turn out to be wrong." He gave a slight sigh. "You know what I mean?"

"Yes, Kevin. I believe I do." Kevin glanced to the boy next to him, noting the odd tone of his voice and the slight cloud in his eyes.

"So… uh… What about you?" Kevin knew he was pushing his luck once again. He could see Edd stiffen beside him and scrambled to recover the conversation. "I… uh… I mean… You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I, uh, I get it, y'know, if you don't want to tell me." His voice had slowly dissipated to a whisper.

Edd sat silently for a moment before drawing in a shaky breath. "I guess… I guess you can say that others do not quite comprehend me to a full extent as well. There are aspects of my life about which not even Ed and Eddy are informed. And other aspects that they do not care to know."

With the last muttered sentence, Kevin glanced over to Edd, "Not even Eddy?"

Double D gave a huff of a laugh, tugging a little at his hat. "Especially not Eddy. He is not as trustworthy as he appears."

"He doesn't seem trustworthy at all."

"Exactly."

"So… so why do you still hang out with him? He isn't nice to you. In fact, he seems like he tends to be an ass."

Edd thought for a moment, bringing his knees up to his chest and resting his arms on them. "I suppose that is quite true. However… I guess… I guess that is just how it has always been and is how it will always be. I accompany Ed and Eddy because they accompany me." Edd dropped his chin onto his arms, staring blankly at the carpet. "And I suppose we have been together all these years, so it would require something quite large for our friendship to dissolve. And I may not be able to trust them with certain aspects of my life or myself, but I am able to trust them in general. They may not be the most desirable company; yet I have found that I do not have many options. And they have continued to remain my friends after others have not. In the end, they are purely all I have."

Kevin let the words sink in for a moment before dangling his luck right over the edge of the cliff. "You-you've got me." The words were simply stated and hung in the air a little too long.

A little bit of light seemed to return to Edd's eyes as he turned his gaze towards Kevin, "Yes. I suppose I do." His grin seemed a bit suppressed, yet was clearly there.

"And, hey, I'm not going anywhere anytime soon." Kevin made a show of getting comfortable on the couch, and the two laughed at his dramatics.

* * *

"Yo, Double D! How's it going?" Kevin leaned against the lockers next to Edd's.

"I am afraid it is not as well as I would hope."

"Yeah? What's up?"

"I am due to have a history exam tomorrow, and I am frightfully underprepared."

"Oh, yeah. I got that, too. How 'bout we study together for it tonight?"

"I would be so very grateful!"

Kevin laughed at the way Edd's eyes lit up. The nerd got so excited just to study.

* * *

Edd rubbed his temples in frustration. "I just don't understand why this is so difficult." His head dropped onto the book on the table.

Kevin suppressed a laugh at the sight. "Hey, man. It's not that hard. You just gotta think about it like it's a story. Although, that's kinda hard with this stupid book." He turned a page with a disgusted look. "If you think about this stuff, like really think about it. It actually is pretty cool."

Edd gave him a look before glancing back at the paragraphs in front of him. "Kevin, do you enjoy history?"

Kevin leaned back slightly in his chair, "Yeah, I do actually. It can be pretty cool. Me and my dad talk about it a lot." He could see Edd's "learning expression" return with the confession, and an idea sparked. He might actually be able to help the nerd out. "Okay, look here. This one is written really stupid here. But, really…." Kevin continued to retell the tale with as much drama as he could muster. All the while, Edd stared at him with fascination.

Once the two had discussed all the relevant topics, Kevin decided it was time to leave. As usual, Edd saw him to the door to leave him with a greeting.

"Good luck tomorrow, dude. Oh, and, hey. I got this new game the other day, and I was wondering if you wanted to play it this weekend."

"Yes, that sounds very entertaining."

"Okay, see you tomorrow, then."


	4. Chapter 4

**Greetings! Welcome back! It's technically Friday where I'm at, so I'm gonna go ahead and post this.**

 **So, let's see. Notes on this chapter... Sorry about jumping around so much. I swear it won't happen again. The pacing and such is pretty intentional, so I'm gonna leave it at that.**

 **(Shameless advertising...) I did post a quick one shot that I threw together (cause moods). It is not related whatsoever to this plot, but it was tons of fun to write.**

 **And, we got some juicy stuff coming up next week. So, stay tuned. :D (And I do keep my profile updated with projected release dates and my progress with things, in case you care.)**

 **Thanks to all you lovelies that take the time to read this. It really does make me happy to know that someone (other than me) is enjoying this. :)**

 **Enjoy! (And feel free to let me know any of your thoughts. -Any of them-)**

* * *

Kevin moved his way through the crowd on his way to lunch. He was daydreaming about the cafeteria menu when he caught sight of Double D. "Hey! Yo, Dee! Wait up!"

The boy glanced back at him as he called. Kevin couldn't tell whether it was his imagination or not, but he thought he saw the boy startle at his name. As he made his way over, Kevin watched closely, feeling of oddity solidifying. "Hey, you want to come sit with me and Nazz at lunch?" Kevin tried to sound as casual as possible.

"Oh, uh… That-that is quite all right, Kevin. I-I am not quite hungry at the moment. Oh, uh. But, uh, thank you… for the invitation." Edd seemed to draw more into himself as he rambled. As Kevin looked closely, he noticed what seemed to be a bruise forming on Double D's jaw.

Not losing a moment, Kevin grabbed the boy by the upper arm and dragged him down the hallway, away from the cafeteria and into a bathroom. He stood in front of Edd, staring straight into his eyes. "Okay, now tell me what the hell is going on."

Edd's eyes darted away as his arms crossed. "Nothing-nothing happened."

"C'mon, Edd. Don't lie to me." Kevin tapped Edd's chin, attempting to get the boy to look at him.

The boy's eyes glanced up, meeting Kevin's for a moment before looking away. "I… really do not want to talk about it."

Kevin gave a sigh, knowing he was giving in. "Okay, fine. I'll let you by. For now." He gave Edd another look. "But I'm coming to your house after school today and you're gonna tell me about it. Okay?" His gaze pinned the shorter boy to his spot as he nodded agreement. "Good. We should go get some lunch, then." With that, Kevin led the way to the cafeteria.

* * *

The two sat in Edd's living room, not speaking. Kevin continued to stare at Edd, waiting for an explanation. Edd was frantically searching for a way he could evade the whole conversation.

"So?" Kevin was impatient.

"I uh…. Well you see… It is really nothing. It really does not matter all that mu—"

"Cut the shit, Edd. Something obviously happened, so why don't you just tell me?"

"Language, Kevin." Edd gave a slight sigh. "I simply had an altercation with another student. It was absolutely nothing to note, and I am in perfect health."

"So what started this, uh… _altercation_?" Kevin watched the other boy squirm in his seat. "Nothing started it, huh? Someone just hit you?"

"I mean…."

"It was bullying, Edd, harassment. So, just tell me what the fuck happened."

Edd let out a huff, finally fully frustrated with this conversation. "I would appreciate if you would watch your language while visiting _my_ home, Kevin. And if you truly must know, I was simply retrieving a notebook from my locker. He had closed the door before I could obtain all my materials, so I turned to him and asked if he had needed something. He simply threw some insults, to which I did not respond. I suppose that is what angered him. Now, I am quite fine, and I would appreciate it if the matter would be dropped."

"So, you just let him hit you? You didn't say anything or find a teacher?"

"And, pray tell, what benefit would anyone gain from such actions?"

"I guess, but still… And who the he-… _heck_ is 'he' anyway?"

"Michael Founders. I believe he is on the basketball team… or was it the rugby team? Either way, it is of no importance because I am perfectly fine."

Kevin stared straight into his eyes once again, clearly distrusting his insistences. "So, what did he say to you?"

Edd stiffened. "Nothing. Merely some mindless insults. I told you as such."

"Yeah, but what exactly?"

"I cannot see how that is of any relevance." Edd crossed his arms in pure stubbornness.

"Because you are clearly not as 'perfectly fine' as you say. And it was something that asshole said, right? So, just tell me what it was, and I'll go beat the shit out of him." Kevin could see Edd visibly start to shake with his comments.

"A-all of that is rather-rather unnecessary, K-kevin." His eyes were glued to the floor.

"Hey, what are you so afraid of? He isn't going to be able to hurt you while I'm around." Kevin noticed Edd simply shake his head and decided to try a different approach. "Or is it because of what he said?" That struck something. "Do you really not want to tell me?"

"I-I… I just…"

"Was it really that bad?"

Edd didn't move. Kevin scooted a little closer to him on the couch and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, whatever that asshole said to you is just as you said, mindless words. It doesn't prove anything about you. It's not going to change what I think about you." Kevin let the words roll coolly off his tongue.

"I-It… it might."

"It won't. I promise." He nudged Edd a little, "and you know I keep my promises."

Edd took a deep, seemingly calming, breath before continuing, his words trailing lighter as he went. "He was making fun of me for… for being… homosexual."

Kevin took a second, pulling his arm back to his side. That's what Edd was so embarrassed to tell him. He almost laughed. "Seriously? That dickhead is going to make fun of something like that? What a fucking ass!"

"Language, please, Kevin." A light reminder. Edd could sense an odd anger emanating from Kevin.

"Fuck him! Fucking prick!" Kevin huffed angrily before turning back to Edd. "Dude, don't give a shit about him. He's clearly just a dumbass. Don't let what he said bother you. There's nothing wrong with it, and there's nothing wrong with you."

Edd stared at him in shock. Clearly, he had expected a different reaction.

Kevin quickly picked up on this. "What? It pisses me off when people are such assholes about that kind of thing. Like just cause I tell you I'm bi doesn't mean I'm suddenly a different person. Like I didn't just fucking decide like 'oh, hey. I think I'm going to change my sexuality just for you, just to bother you.' Seriously! That's not how it fucking works." Kevin was standing at this point, throwing his arms about himself dramatically. After a moment of cooling off, he turned to Edd and noted his shocked expression. It took him a second to think back on his rant and realize just what had amazed the boy so much. "Oh, uh. Yeah. I'm bisexual. So… it's all cool." He tried to give a confident smirk.

After a moment, Kevin realized that Edd had nothing to say and continued talking. "So, anyway. I'm sorry this happened. This Michael douche, I'll kick his ass for you."

This snapped Edd out of his thoughts. "Oh, dear. Please do not partake in such actions. I fear that such things would only cause us more problems."

"How?"

"Well, to begin, instilling violence upon Michael will only perpetuate his rage and inspire him to pursue revenge. Along with this, if such an event were to circulate within the student body, you could easily become a target as well."

"Man, I could take 'em."

"Please also consider the extra attention that would fall upon me in such a case."

"Oh… true…. Whatever. I'll take 'em all." Kevin put up his fists in a mock fight.

"Kevin, I am afraid to say that it is quite impossible for you to remain with me at all times."

"Yeah, I guess youre right." Kevin scratched at his head slightly as he thought. "So, what can we do, then?"

"I am afraid there is nothing to do."

* * *

Kevin lounged on Edd's couch, casually messing with the controller. He had long given up trying to beat the dork at this particular game; he just wasn't good enough.

"Kevin. I am unable to enjoy this game when you have ceased attempting to play." Edd glanced over at him for a moment before focusing on the game again.

Kevin dropped the controller onto the table, "Sorry, man. You're just too good. I can't win."

"Of course you will not succeed if you permit such thoughts."

Kevin laughed loudly, but was disrupted by loud knocks on Edd's door. As soon as Double D unfastened the lock, Eddy burst in.

"What the hell, Sockhead? I've called you like a million times already!" Eddy threw his arms in the air as he spoke.

"I apologize, Eddy. I must have left my phone on silent."

"Never mind, that shit doesn't matter right now. What matters is that I got this awesome scam, and I need your help with—" Eddy had turned towards the kitchen (planning on raiding Double D's fridge) when he caught sight of Kevin. He glared for a moment before turning. "Okay, seriously, Double D? What the actual fuck? Why is that shithead sitting in your fucking house?"

"I invited Kevin over."

"And why the fuck would you do something as fucked as that?" Eddy was fully in Edd's face, whispering harshly. Kevin rose from his seat, ready to assist his dork if needed.

"Because he is my friend, Eddy."

After a moment of glaring at Double D, Eddy spun to face Kevin. He marched up, jabbing a finger into the red head's chest. "What the fuck do you think you're doing, Jughead?"

"Nothing." Kevin didn't want to get into it with the idiot. It only ever ended poorly for him.

"The fuck? Nothing my ass! You need to leave him the fuck alone."

"I don't think that's up to you, now is it, dweeb? Double D can be friends with whoever he wants."

"But you're not his fucking friend. Quit trying to screw with him, asshole."

Kevin's eyes shrunk into a glare. He didn't know why the words hit him so hard. "I am not screwing with him. If he didn't want me here, he would tell me. So, why don't you just leave us the hell alone and let him make his own choices?"

Before Eddy could respond with something nasty, Edd stepped in between the two, pushing them apart. "Pardon the interruption, but I do request that if you intend to perpetuate this asinine argument that you please continue in another location." Edd had put a hand on each of their shoulders and was leading them to the door. He opened it, gesturing for them both to leave. The two looked at each other for a moment before Kevin headed outside. Eddy followed soon after due to a harsh glare from Edd.

"Well, fuck." Kevin kicked a stone from the sidewalk back into the landscaping as he moved onto his house.

* * *

Kevin counted the rings as they echoed in his ear. He didn't expect Edd to answer. Kevin wouldn't have answered. As he was about to give up and end the call, he heard a slight noise from the other side.

"Salutations, Kevin." Edd was so not happy.

"Hey, Double D. Uh…" Any thoughts he had prepared flew right over that stupid cliff, and he stuttered for a moment.

"For what reason did you call, Kevin?" Kevin could hear just how fed up Edd was.

"I, uh… actually called to apologize… about yesterday."

"…And?"

Kevin was startled. True, Edd got angry. He could be super sarcastic when he gets mad, but he was never flat out rude. "Yeah. It-it was my fault, yesterday was. I was trying to get Eddy angry…. And I'm sorry."

There was just silence for a moment. "You must understand that I do not wish for my friends to argue, especially in my presence. I do not want to lose either of you over something such as this."

"Dude, what are you talking about? You wouldn't lose us."

"You are incorrect, Kevin. In fact, you would be the one I would lose."

"Edd, what are you—"

"I suppose that must have appeared harsh. However, please let me explain myself further. Let us see… Um, Eddy has been there. I have known him and we have retained our friendship for many years and through many arguments. As awful as this may sound, if it came to me being forced to choose between you and Eddy (and you must recognize that Eddy would place this decision upon me), I would have to choose Eddy. As much as I may desire to pick otherwise, that is simply the most logical decision. I am certain that Eddy will remain friends with me through many things. Unfortunately, I cannot place the same amount of faith in our friendship. It is nothing to do with you or your personality, so please do not take it as such. It is simply because we have been friends for a considerably shorter amount of time. Do you understand what I am meaning?"

"Yeah, yeah. I get it." And he did. He fully understood that, even if Eddy was wrong, Edd would side with him simply for the sake of keeping their friendship together. Kevin knew that his spot in Edd's life was fragile. "I'll try my best not to fight with him and not to let him get to me."

"R-really? I must say, I apologize for placing you in such a position, and I understand that Eddy can be quite… abrasive. But I do enjoy your friendship, and I do not wish for it to dissolve because of Eddy."

"Yeah. Yeah. I promise, dude. And I will always keep my promises." He could hear a sigh of relief through the line. "On one condition, you have to keep your promises to me."


	5. Chapter 5

**I sort of knew I wouldn't get this chapter out on time. (But that makes the next chapter a little closer, right?)**

 **Anyway, thank all you lovelies for reading this. I'm really excited for where this is going. _I have some plans. :)_**

 **Feel free to let me know any thoughts you have, good or bad.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Edd's phone chimed, pulling his attention from the book in front of him. He reached over, flipping open his phone and opening the new message.

 _From Kevin Barr:_ Yo, you busy rn?

Edd typed out a reply as quick as he could.

 _To Kevin Barr:_ I am simply reading ahead for physics. Do you ask for any specific reason?

 _From Kevin Barr:_ Ya. Imma b over in a min.

Edd moved back from his desk, making his way down to his living room to wait for his friend. A few moments later, Kevin was knocking on his door.

The boy ran a hand through his red hair as he paced back in forth across the living room. "Agh! It's so frustrating!"

"Do you plan to inform me exactly what 'it' is?" Dee sat on the couch, waiting impatiently for Kevin to fill him in on what was so upsetting.

"Everything!"

"Okay…"

Kevin took a breath, rubbing at his eyes. "Like, everyone thinks I'm so stupid, and I'm just really sick of it."

"I assure you, Kevin. You are quite far from 'stupid.'"

"Yeah, yeah, I guess. But that's not really the point. I guess I'm not so upset by people thinking I'm stupid, just that no one thinks I can do anything with my life. Like, fuck! Even my parents! They won't shut up about all these stupid football scholarships and good football schools. Like, they go on and on like football is the only thing I'm good for."

Edd stared at him, waiting for him to continue.

"Like, shit. It's just, I can't make a career out of football. I know. I'm just not that good at it. And I don't want to be. I don't want that to be my life. I don't want _football_ to determine how the rest of my life is gonna go. I just… I have no idea what to do with my life, and I don't know what school to go to. And no one is helping me because they all think that I can't do shit aside from stupid sports." He let out another breath, plopping onto the couch beside Edd. After a moment, he glanced over at the boy, noting his shocked expression. Or was it amazement? It was probably just shock.

Kevin drew in some air before speaking, "Sorry, dude. I didn't mean to unload all this on you. I shouldn't bother you like that."

"It is quite all right, Kevin. I do not mind."

There is a slight silence hanging in the air. Kevin let out a nervous laugh. "I-I've never told anyone this shit. Like, ever."

"I suppose we have aspects of our lives that remain to ourselves. I know there are things I cannot discuss anyone, and I am sure there are things that are similar for you."

"Like, not even Ed and Eddy?"

Edd glanced down to his lap, seemingly sadly. "Of course not. They are not very competent when it comes to private matters."

"Oh… really?"

"Well, yes. Ed simply does not understand such matters. Eddy does, but he… he tends to focus on his 'scams' quite a lot. I fear that he may choose a scam over keeping something private. So, I simply keep many things to myself."

"Yeah. I guess I could see him pulling something like that. But, damn, that sucks. You would think he would value your friendship over some stupid pranks."

"I suppose. And I accept that I may be incorrect in that belief. However, this is a matter of trust, and I cannot find it in myself to trust him so completely."

"Dude, you could trust me." Kevin gave a huge, shit-eating grin. "'Cause you know I'm awesome and shit."

Double D held a hand in front of his mouth as he laughed. "Language, Kevin." The scold landed lightly.

Kevin flipped the page of the book he was reading, per Edd's suggestion. He was lounging on his stomach across Edd's couch, with the book propped up against a pillow. He smiled lightly at the pages before glancing up towards the other boy. Double D had his laptop on the coffee table and was sitting on the floor to complete his essay. After a few minutes, Kevin's attention was once again drawn to Edd. He had let out such an audible gasp that Kevin couldn't help but stare at him until the reason was revealed.

Edd's eyes flicked back and forth as he read the words on the page. His face gave hints of conflicted emotions. Growing impatient, Kevin sat up, "Dude, what's up?"

"I am quite unsure at this point." He spun the computer around, pointing to the screen.

As Kevin began to read, it became clear that it was an email from Edd's parents. It stated that they were regretting all the time they spent away from their son, some things about how family is truly the most important thing. Kevin didn't think too much of it at first. Then, the words stated that they were planning on being home soon, very soon, and for good. Kevin glanced over at Edd after reading the signature. He couldn't help but feel that there was something off about this. He couldn't put his finger on it, exactly. It wasn't as if the sender had asked for money or personal information. There wasn't even anything that hinted a reply was expected. It was merely an informative letter, just stating things.

Kevin tried to inspect the wording. Of course, he would not know what Edd's parents normally sounded like. Although, he assumed they would be similar to Double D. Upon glancing at the email address, he noticed the only strange thing he could. He phrased his question carefully, trying to sound as casual as possible. "Dude, you don't even have your parents saved as contacts?" He laughed slightly before glancing at Edd.

The boy's face showed pure confusion, "Why, of course I do. It would be ridiculous and incredibly inconvenient otherwise." He pulled the laptop back around, and his face fell. "As I feared, it was too good to be true."

Kevin moved over to sit beside the boy. "What do you mean?"

"Unfortunately, my parents would not come to such a conclusion. Even more, they certainly would not disclose such over an email. They would most definitely call me by phone to discuss the matter."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." There was a pause of silence for a moment. "So, uh, who do you think sent it, then?"

"I am afraid I do not know. I suppose it must be someone who has knowledge of my family's situation."

"What about the email address? It's not in your contacts, but is it right?"

Edd glanced again at the screen. "Upon first glance, I thought it to be correct. Although, now I am able to clearly see extra punctuation included."

Kevin soon came to the conclusion that Edd was trying to avoid. "So, who else knows that email address?"

"I suppose many people. It is simply my mother's name."

"Yeah, but it has to be someone who knows that your parents send you emails. Like, my dad would never send me an email. So, if I got something like that, I would just delete it. You know?"

"Yes, Kevin, I understand your meaning." Edd's voice seemed to flatten with each conclusion.

"I mean, it's just a joke, y'know, a con. You should just ignore it."

Edd was already pulling out his phone, dialing a number before holding it to his ear.

"Who are you calling, man?"

Edd simply ignored him, waiting for an answer. After a moment, Edd took a breath, "Greetings, Eddy."

After a pause, Edd continued in an irritated tone. "No, in fact, I simply have a question I desire to ask of you. Well, it seems I have received a rather interesting email quite recently. No, no. It appears to be sent from my mother. It stated various things. However, that is not relevant. Upon further notice, I have discovered that the email address from which it was sent was not quite correct. Yes, Eddy. It contained extra punctuation. I am quite sure. Do you happen to know anything about this?"

Edd's face fell even further with the response. It seemed Eddy's answer raised even more suspicion. "I am quite unsure as to how you maintain with such certainty the validity of this email. I must say that you know very little of my parents. And your insistence is rather odd, considering how joyed you are that my house remains generally empty, aside from myself." As Eddy was responding, Edd clicked a few buttons, putting the phone on speaker.

"-ockhead, seriously. Who would fake that kind of shit? It's a good thing."

"I am not so sure, Eddy. As I said, your response to this whole situation is rather peculiar."

"What the hell do you mean by that? You think I wrote it?"

"I suppose I do hold some suspicions, yes."

"What the fuck? I'm trying to be supportive. I'm here trying to be happy for you, and you just go and turn it on me. I'm your best fucking friend, dude. You should trust me more than that."

Edd simply paused.

"See its bullshit like this. When did you suddenly become such a shitty friend? Maybe you should stop spending time with that asshole; it looks like his shit is rubbing off on you. You fucking suck. Yeah. I wrote the fucking email. But I was trying to make you happy. That's what friends do for each other. Make each other happy. Not the shit you're pull—"

Edd had slammed his phone closed. He dropped his forehead to rest on his raised knees. Kevin moved over, wrapping an arm around his shoulder.

"Why does he have to always act so immature? I recognize that I have not been spending as much time with him as I used to, but I am not neglecting him. We are still together for an unappealing amount of time. I still help him plan his stupid schemes and help him with his homework. I am still being a good friend." He gave a slight sigh, "Right? That's what friends do. That's what we've always done. I suppose I have become friends with you as of late, but how does that make me an awful friend? I am trying so hard not to neglect him. I am trying to be there for him."

Kevin squeezed his shoulder lightly, "Dude, don't listen to him. You're a great friend. He just… I think he just really doesn't like me. I mean, I not completely sure why, but he doesn't. And like you said, he doesn't mean what he says. He's probably just trying to look out for you. He probably thinks I'm bad for you." Kevin tried not to let his own words take root in his mind. He was the one comforting Double D, so how could his presence be bad?

The rest of the week, Edd spent a lot of time with Kevin. They walked to and from school together, as well as sitting together at lunch and studying after school. Double D had a short conversation with Ed about why he was not speaking to Eddy. It appeared to Kevin that this was not the first time such a separation had occurred because Ed seemed to understand it to an extent before stating that he hoped they make up soon. In general, Edd did everything he could to avoid Eddy. And Eddy seemed to be doing the same.


	6. Chapter 6

**It's still Friday somewhere, right? (Really, there isn't much of an excuse for me posting this so late.)**

 **But, anyway! I have some updates. I will officially be updating every Friday AND Tuesday! (Yay!) I totally have reasons for this, but they don't really matter that much. (Mostly, I officially know how long this will be. :D *insert evil giggles here*)**

 **Also, we have a couple shorter chapters (sorry). But they'll probably be worth it. And then I promise they will go back to their usual lengths very soon.**

 **Seriously, though. Thanks to everyone for reading this. (It makes me super-duper happy.)**

 **Well, anyway... Enjoy!**

* * *

"So, Kev. What's up with the Eds lately?" Nazz looked over to her friend as she saw Double D missing from their lunch table once again. "I don't think I've ever seen them apart for so long. Not to mention, it's been what... two weeks or three? since Eddy's tried to pull a scam on anyone."

Kevin mimicked her gaze to the partially empty table. "Yeah, Double D and Eddy sort of had an argument…"

"Geez, must've been bad. Double D's even taken to hanging out with Sarah."

"Yeah, it was pretty awful."

"So…"

Kevin gave her a questioning look, wondering why she insisted on him reading her mind.

"What about you and Double D? What's going on?"

"Nothing's going on. We're just hanging out, y'know, like normal."

Nazz rolled her eyes slightly. "There is so much wrong with that. Why haven't you said anything to him yet?"

"C'mon, Nazz. We've been over this. I really don't want to mess things up."

"What, are you scared he'll reject you? 'Cause I promise that won't happen."

"And how would you know?"

She gave a sly grin, "I have my sources."

"Okay…" Kevin clearly didn't believe her. "But that still doesn't change anything. I really don't want to ruin this."

"You won't be ruining anything, Kevin! You'll be making it better."

"Just leave it alone, will you? I'll tell him when I tell him." It seemed to Kevin that they had this same conversation every day.

Nazz paused for a moment before speaking quietly. "Okay, since you clearly need more reasons than what I've already given you, I'm going to tell you something. But you cannot tell anyone, not even Double D, okay?"

"Why do I have the feeling that you're being too dramatic about this?"

"Just agree."

"Yeah, yeah. Fine."

"Okay, so you know when Ed's parents hired Double D to tutor him and Sarah? Well, apparently, Double D and Sarah started talking and stuff. So, I guess they're friends now, y'know, not really _friends_ , but they talk." Kevin nodded, already aware, and waited for Nazz to continue. "Well, anyway, apparently, Double D was talking to Sarah about you. He was telling her about how it doesn't matter because you and him would never be an item and stuff, but he was talking about _you_. He likes you, Kevin. Ask him out."

It took Kevin a moment to process the words. As much as he wanted to believe them, he already began to delude himself into thinking they were untrue. The information was third-hand, and he couldn't imagine Double D confiding such things in Sarah. He couldn't help but feel disappointed with that idea; he never would have guessed the dork would trust Sarah that much. Still, Kevin could feel that kernel of hope lingering in his chest.

"Okay, maybe."

"Maybe? I just told you that the boy you have a crush on is totally head over heels for you, and you tell me 'maybe'?"

"It has to be right, Nazz. I'm not going to just throw it at him."

"It doesn't need to be nice, Kevin." Nazz was clearly mocking his tone. "I think he's in the library right now; just go up and swap some spit with him."

Kevin's face reddened. "Nazz!"

"Kevin!" Her laughter was drowned by the sound of the bell. The two made their way to class, arguing vaguely.

* * *

Kevin flipped a pancake onto a plate, handing it to Edd before grabbing one himself. "So, you can just go ahead and tell me I'm a great cook. 'Cause it's totally true." He sat next to the boy, grinning widely.

"Oh, yes. You are such a fantastic cook. I suppose there are a few culinary schools to which you could apply."

"Okay, shut it. You haven't even taken a bite yet." Kevin laughed as he munched on his food. The two had stayed up rather late (according to Edd) playing video games, and Kevin was made to sleep in the guest room rather than walking across the street. It was fun.

The two sat in silence for a moment as they were both lost in thought. Such silence was disturbed with the ringing of a phone.

"If you will excuse me for a moment, Kevin…" Edd stood, picking the receiver out of its cradle. He stood at the counter, leaning on the edge. "Greetings, Mother!"

He bobbed his head in assent, even though it would not be perceived. "Yes, yes. Of course, Mother. Absolutely."

Kevin could see Edd's face fall. Even his tone seemed to deflate. "Yes, Mother. Of course, I understand." He continued nodding, with much less enthusiasm. "I will see you then. I adore you, as well."

With that, the phone was set back in its place, and Edd returned to continue his meal, all without a word. Kevin stared for a moment, simply to be sure that the boy wouldn't start the conversation himself.

"So, uh, what's up? With the call, I mean? Everything okay?"

Double D nodded simply for a moment. "Yes. It was just Mother. She desired to inform me that her and Father may not return for another few weeks."

"Oh, r-really? That sucks…"

"Yes, I suppose it does. However, it happens quite often. As such, I am very accustomed to the situation." His voice was flat. "It is not as if they are home enough for me to be adjusted to their presence." The room fell to silence yet again.

Kevin stood, heading over to the stove. "Hey, do you want another pancake? I mean, you don't get food from an aspiring chef every day." He tried the joke, but his smile faded when he just barely caught the corners of Edd's mouth hint upward. Once the boy shook his head slightly, Kevin grabbed food for himself and headed back to the table.

After a few bites, Kevin was suffering. He couldn't stand Edd being in such a mood. Especially if he couldn't get the boy to laugh at how stupid his jokes were. "Hey, man. Don't worry about it so much. You know they love you and everything. Even I can see that they try hard."

Edd nodded, his eyes frozen to the table. "Yes, they do." He started in a soft voice, but grew slightly lounder. "However, that is not the issue. I am merely disappointed. I had expected to see them tomorrow, yet now I must wait another three weeks."

"Yeah. I can get that. It always sucks. You know what? My old man is the exact same. Always suggesting stupid shit and then never having the time. 'Hey, let's go see that movie .' 'Yo, how about we go out for dinner.' 'Let's have a vacation next summer.' He breaks his promises all the time. I guess that's why I tend to not trust promises."

"I must say that I comprehend such things. I do not normally become upset with such situations. I understand that my parents are quite busy. I suppose I simply allowed myself a little more hope this time. Although, I did not intend to do so."

Kevin laughed at this, causing a questioning look from Edd. "Man, I just felt that too much. I mean, I understood you a ton there. I never let my hopes get up when it comes to my dad. Or really anything in general. But lately, I guess I've let myself slip."

Edd stared at him for a moment. "I do not fully understand what you are saying."

Kevin dropped his chin to rest on his arms on the table. "I mean, I guess when it comes to you, I let myself hope for things." Focusing on any change in his expression, Kevin studied Double D. "Y'know, like when I was totally fucked for that exam, and I actually passed. It was because of you. And then I hoped that we could become friends, and here we are. I guess it's 'cause you actually follow through." Kevin let out a laugh, trying not to sound too nervous. He tried not to think about what he was saying. If he realized the gravity of it, he would stop himself. He dropped his forehead down, considerably hiding his face. "And like, I hoped that you wouldn't hate me 'cause I'm bi, and you didn't. And I guess… I guess I even allowed myself to fall for you."

Kevin glanced up to watch Edd, attempting to gauge his reaction. Edd simply sat in shock. That was thrown at him so suddenly; he must have been processing it. Kevin heard him take a breath and heard the soft words that followed, "I-I suppose I did the same."

A feeling moved up from his stomach to fill his chest and pulling his mouth into a grin. He was sure his lungs would be crushed with the pressure. He allowed himself a few moments to solidify what the boy had said, and waited for Edd to look at him before continuing. "W-wanna go out?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Technically, it's Tuesday. (I actually have a very busy day planned for tomorrow, so this is the only way this chapter will actually be posted the day I promised. XD )**

 **Anyway, I swear this is (probably) the last of the shorter chapters. (And things are totally getting exciting. Haha!)**

 **Yeah, there's nothing else to say about this chapter...**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"No, Nazz. We didn't have a 'hot make out session'. I didn't even kiss him." Kevin rolled onto his back, shifting uncomfortably on his bed.

"Dude! How could you not even kiss him! He told you he's in love with you."Nazz's breath blew into her phone, crackling over the speaker on Kevin's end.

"C'mon, Nazz. This is Double D we're talking about. I'm not just going to lay one on him like that. I… I want it to be special, I guess. Or at least, just not lame."

"Oh, look at you, being all romantic." She laughed loudly.

"Our date is on Friday, though. And I don't have any fucking clue of where to take him."

"You could just do dinner and a movie. Or go get ice cream."

"You are just so creative, Nazz."

"Oh, how about this: you go to the movie first and then eat dinner." Kevin laughed a little too hard for Nazz's tastes. "I was serious, Kevin."

"Yeah, yeah. I know. But, ugh. I don't think he would like a movie. And I'm not sure he would feel comfortable going out for food."

"Why don't you guys just stay in? You could make dinner and stuff."

Kevin paused for a moment, thinking of Edd's joking suggestion of culinary school, "Yeah. That could work. I guess we could watch a movie, too. But it's gotta be special, not just us hanging out like usual."

"Good, then it's settled."

"I suppose."

"Okay, then I will see you at school. And don't forget to bring him flowers!"

* * *

Kevin took a deep breath, pressing the doorbell with a shaky hand. He adjusted the bag of groceries to accommodate the flowers he had purchased. He really didn't understand why he was so nervous. It wasn't like this was much different than before, but somehow it was. As the door opened, his breath caught. He stared at Edd, and Edd stared back.

After a moment, Kevin pulled his gaze away, juggling the items in his hands to offer the flowers, "H-here." He was sure his face was bright red.

"O-oh… Thank you." Double D examined the flowers. Kevin supposed he was recalling their scientific name or genetics or something. As Edd lifted his eyes, he caught sight of the bags in Kevin's hand, prompting a questioning look.

"I-I thought we could stay in and make dinner. Maybe watch a movie after or whatever." He felt so awkward. Why did he feel so awkward?

Edd pulled the door open further for Kevin to step inside. Once inside the kitchen, Kevin placed the groceries on the table, pulling items out of the bags. After wandering around the store for the better part of an hour, he finally decided on making pizza. He had looked up a recipe for a simple sauce and hoped it would turn out okay. As Edd gathered items out of the cupboard, Kevin brought some ingredients over to the counter, and the two began mixing the dough.

They moved mostly in silence, aside from a question here or comment there. Kevin found that, though wracking his brain for a decent topic for conversation, he didn't feel uncomfortable in the silence. Edd didn't seem to mind it either. Kevin could see that he was slightly nervous, but he didn't look uncomfortable.

With the dough spread into a pan and the oven preheating, the two sat down at the table. Kevin fiddled with the edge of his sleeve. "So, uh, how was your day?"

"It was interesting, I suppose. I was researching cacti."

"Oh… really?"

Edd simply nodded.

"Cactuses are pretty cool."

Another nod. "I-I was actually considering purchasing a new one."

"Yeah?"

"W-would you like to accompany me if I do?"

"Yeah. Yeah, that'd be awesome. Maybe I'll get one, too." Kevin let out a laugh and caught Edd's smile.

"So, then, Jonny insisted that Eddy demonstrate the hair growth solution on himself. And despite my protests, Eddy dumped the whole bottle on his head. He said it tingled at first, but that quickly grew into burning. He was smart enough to begin washing his head with some shampoo, but he was thoroughly soaked in the process, and it took about four months before his hair began to return." Double Dee's laugh rang out slightly before fading into half-hearted chuckles. "I suppose that was one of the few times Eddy's pranks ended up poorly for only himself."

"Yeah, I guess." Kevin noticed the change in the boy and scrambled to change the subject. "So, uh… how's like school and stuff going?"

That seemed to interest him. "Quite well, actually. I am doing a research project in biology about the stomata of cacti compared to those of other common house plants."

"Yeah? That sounds pretty cool." Although, Kevin had to admit that he had no idea what a "stomata" was.

The two continued talking for the rest of the night, discussing various topics and teasing each other at times. After finishing their meal and cleaning the dishes, they watched a movie. They sat a little closer on the couch than normal, brushing shoulders with each other every once in a while.

Kevin stood as the credits rolled. "I guess I should head home."

Edd followed him to the door with a smile. "I-I quite enjoyed tonight."

"Yeah, me too." Kevin let out a little laugh before hesitating for a second. "So, uh… are you, like, cool with us… being, y'know, together and all?" Kevin glanced up nervously. A voice in his mind insisted that there was still a chance that Edd didn't even like him at all, that this was just a joke or a dream.

The voice was crushed with Edd's quick nods. "I-I believe I would quite enjoy that."

Kevin moved slowly towards Edd, watching the other boy closely as he pulled him into a hug. With a sigh, he relished in the way their bodies fit together so well. Kevin pulled back, leaning down to bring his face close to Edd's before he paused. "C-can I kiss you?"

Edd nodded his head, slight at first but then more surely. Kevin closed the distance slowly, nervously. Taking his time partly to give Edd every chance to change his mind, but also because he was scared himself. Their breaths mingled for just a moment before Kevin pressed forward. The kiss was light, simple. Just a brush of their lips and it was done. And with a simple goodbye, Kevin was out the door and across the street.


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm sure it's Friday somewhere, right? No? Oh, well. I say it's Friday. (If I don't post this now, I know I won't get to it until Sunday or even Monday, and I don't want to be that mean.)**

 **So, we're finally back to normal chapter lengths. Super cool. I must say that I am excited for next week for a couple reasons. I'm not going to say what those reasons are, but they exist. But, because of them, I won't be posting on Tuesday. (Sorry, but it's better this way, I promise.)**

 **Cactuses are pretty cool. I have a few myself. :P**

 **Also, I always imagine Edd would have a Razr. Those things were indestructible, and I think Edd wouldn't care for smart phones and apps and such.**

 **Anyway, enough of my stupid rambling. Enjoy! Let me know any thoughts you might have! (Seriously, any at all. You can talk to me about cacti, and I would love it just the same.)**

* * *

Kevin rolled over once again, thrashing slightly as his comforter constricted him. He had been up for at least an hour. The moment his eyes opened to the morning sun, the kiss from the night before arose to his mind. He then began the great debate of whether to text Edd. He figured the boy would have been up for a few hours by then, so he was not afraid of waking him, but something else kept him glued to his bed and away from his phone.

After another fifteen minutes, Kevin dubbed himself officially stupid and rolled off his bed and onto his floor. Rising to his feet, he stepped over to his desk and unlocked his phone, beginning to type furiously. It took about ten tries before he finally sent the short message.

 _To Double Dork:_ Good morning : )

 _From Double Dork:_ Good morning to you as well.

 _To Double Dork:_ You wanna go get a cactus today? ; )

 _From Double Dork:_ Absolutely!

Kevin locked his front door on the way out and made his way across the street. He was greeted on Double D's doorstep as the dork was locking the door.

"I am sure it is suitable if we take my vehicle today."

"Totally." Kevin grinned, turning to follow the boy to the car. Buckling up, he glanced over to Edd. "So, do you know where they even sell cactuses?"

"Yes, I do. I have purchased them previously." Edd backed slowly out of the driveway before heading off.

"How many do you have already?"

"Eleven."

"Really? And you want more?"

"Correct. I was looking into a very interesting species. I am excited to add it to my collection. Although, I am unsure on whether the store will stock this particular one, I am sure I will find something."

"Yeah? You really like them, don't you?"

"They are quite fascinating."

Edd parked the car, and the two headed into the store. They perused the aisles a while before finding the cacti. They had a variety of options, of which Edd listed the scientific names as they looked.

"I guess they are pretty cool. This one looks pretty vicious." Kevin pointed to one with a barrel shape and red-brown spines that reminded him of scorpions.

"That one is a _Ferocactus latispinus_ , commonly called a Devil's Tongue."

"Well, it looks badass."

Edd gave a slight sigh. "I suppose."

They continued looking at their choices for a while before Edd finally decided on two. Before leaving, he turned to Kevin with a grin. "Maybe you should get one, too."

"Seriously?" Kevin let out a laugh. "I'd kill it."

"Kevin, they're cacti. They do not require much attention."

"I promise, I'll kill it."

"And I promise you will not." Edd stared him down without mercy.

Glancing over the many shapes and spines, Kevin decided on a small globular one with what looked like white hair growing around it. He couldn't explain it, but it somehow reminded him of the little nerd. They purchased their items, also picking up pots, and made their way home. They sat on Edd's back porch, and the boy demonstrated how to repot the plants without damaging them. With the plants safely in their new homes, Edd stood.

Kevin stepped closer to the nerd, wrapping his arms carefully around the boy. "This was fun."

Edd returned the hug, "It was. However," He pulled back slightly. "I have studying to which I must attend, and unfortunately, you are very much a distraction, so I must ask you to leave."

Kevin found himself at a loss for words. He tried to keep the nasty thoughts away, but they had resurfaced with the simple comment. "O-oh…"

Edd pulled back further, reaching down to hand Kevin his cactus. "It is most definitely my own fault, however as such, I must take responsibility. We may hang out once my work is done."

Kevin took his plant and suppressed a sigh. He stepped forward to plant a kiss on the boy's forehead. "Okay. Study hard, then." He rounded the house and headed for his own room, planning to find a space for the plant on his dresser.

* * *

The next week moved by quickly. Midterms were upon them, so the two studied together at Edd's each evening. By the end of the week, they were thoroughly exhausted, and (Kevin admitted) he was getting pretty frustrated. The only times he was able to see Edd was when they were studying, and then they would only study. After spending the entire lunch period proposing the idea, Kevin had convinced Edd to have a movie date that night.

"How about we stay at my house this time?" Kevin nudged Double D's arm slightly.

"I suppose that would be tolerable." The joking tone in his voice caused Kevin to laugh.

The two settled onto Kevin's couch that night, movie playing on the television. Kevin had pulled Edd almost onto his lap and held him there for a moment before allowing the boy to adjust to a more comfortable position. Kevin simply enjoyed the moment.

"It's been a while since we were able to just hang out, huh?"

Edd nestled into Kevin, seeming to enjoy the situation just as much. "I suppose."

"I missed it."

"As did I."

"Oh, really?" Kevin tilted Edd's chin slightly, turning the boy's face toward him before connecting their lips. The two pulled away after a moment.

"Yeah, I did."

Kevin gave the boy a warm smile before glancing up, "Oh, the movie's starting."

Edd laughed slightly before turning around.

About half way through the movie, Edd's phone chimed once again from inside his bag.

Kevin nudged Edd slightly, "What happened to silence all cell phones during the movie?" His joke seemed to have no effect.

Edd lifted himself from the couch and Kevin's grasp to dig his phone out of his bag. "I apologize, Kevin." He pressed a few buttons, silencing the phone before returning it to his bag. He moved back to the couch.

"Who keeps texting you anyway? That was like the twentieth one since the movie started."

"It was actually the twenty-third message. I believe that makes fifty-two this week."

Kevin sat up at this. "Fifty-two? Are you serious?"

"This is very common of Eddy. He seems to believe that the more messages he sends, the quicker I will forgive him."

"That's pretty stupid."

Edd leaned against Kevin, appearing to focus on the movie once again. "Yes, it is."

As the movie ended, the Edd stood, stretching his back before heading to the restroom. Kevin took his chance and moved over to Edd's pack, digging his phone from the front pocket. He quickly copied Eddy's number into his own phone before jumping back to the couch as he heard the toilet flush. Eddy needed to back off, and he knew the dork would never say what needed to be said.

Edd returned with a slight yawn. "Are you prepared for the next movie?"

"Yeah, it's my pick." Kevin let the grin spread on his face, swapping out the DVDs. He had tried to pick something that would be at least tolerable for the nerd, as he was sure Edd was doing for him.

The two settled into the couch as the previews began. After about thirty minutes, Kevin glanced down at Edd who was fully asleep. With a slight chuckle, the red-head nudged the boy to lie down, dragging the blanket from the back of the couch to cover both of them.

* * *

The next morning, Kevin awoke to Edd fidgeting around. As he opened his eyes, he could tell that the boy was still asleep. He carefully crawled over the back of the couch to avoid disturbing Edd and moved into the kitchen. He had just barely dropped the pancake batter into the pan before Edd stepped in drowsily.

"Sleep well?" Kevin watched the skillet carefully, waiting to turn the cake over.

Edd let out a yawn, "I suppose, considering couches were not designed for sleeping."

"You clearly have the wrong impression of couches. I sleep on 'em all the time." Kevin pulled some juice out of the fridge, pouring a glass for each of them as he continued to glance to the stove.

"I am sure that is thoroughly unhealthy."

"Says you." Kevin stuck out his tongue before turning to flip the pancakes.

The two settled down to their breakfast, munching quietly. After they had finished and the dishes were clean, Edd declared that he had important studying to do considering midterms continued through the next week. Kevin walked him to the door, giving him a hug and a kiss on the forehead.

After closing and locking the door, Kevin returned to the couch, phone in hand. He had no idea how to phrase his thoughts, but he knew something had to be said. He pulled up the contact from the night before, typing in a message.

 _To Dipshit 2.0:_ Yo. Quit texting DD. He would txt back if he wanted to talk to u

Surprisingly, a reply came within minutes. Kevin was surprised Eddy was awake so early. He seemed like the kind of person that would sleep until noon.

 _From Dipshit 2.0:_ Watever. Dont text me.

Kevin let out a sigh. He knew this was not where he wanted this to go.

 _To Dipshit 2.0:_ Dude, look. I'm not trying to tell you not to try. Its just midterms and you know he needs to study. Think about him for once in your life.

 _From Dipshit 2.0:_ Yea? Says the guy that is at DDs house every night. U must not care about him either.

 _To Dipshit 2.0:_ Whatever. We were actually studying cause we actually care about our grades. Just leave us alone and stop being a stalker.

Kevin locked his phone and flipped on the television. He didn't want to deal with that idiot anymore.

* * *

Kevin spent the week after midterms not seeing Double D much at all. His coach had doubled football practice to make up for the time they lost the previous two weeks. The one day they had off had been claimed by Nazz who "hadn't seen the loverboy since he became all lovey with his love" and required his presence at her house after school.

The two lounged in her room, catching up on everything they had missed of each other's lives in the past few days. Kevin told her about his new house plant, and she told him about the new drama on the cheer squad. As the two munched on ordered pizza, Kevin checked his phone once again.

Nazz caught the gesture and laughed slightly. "Dude, chill. He's with Sarah. She was telling me about it at lunch."

"What? That's not—"

"Oh, hush. He's not sitting at home all lonely, so you don't need to worry."

Kevin stuffed his phone into his pocket, waving off Nazz's laughter. "I didn't know he was gonna hang with Sarah."

"Has he had the chance to tell you?"

"I guess not. It's been pretty busy this week."

"Then that's it. He wouldn't keep something like that from you. And it's not like you have to worry about it, y'know."

"What are you talking about?"

"You know he talks to Sarah about stuff, and Sarah talks to me about stuff."

Kevin rubbed his forehead and released a sigh, "Just get to the point, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying I know things. I probably shouldn't, but I do."

"Okay…"

"Just… hm, how can I put this… be careful. Make sure you say what you mean and only what you mean, okay?"

"I still have no idea what you're talking about."

Nazz sighed dramatically. "Double D really likes you, okay? And he doesn't trust people very easily, right? So, just keep that in mind."

"Yeah, I know that."

"But you don't know, Kev. And I can't tell you, not my place, but I am trying to warn you, so really, consider it."

Kevin rolled his eyes, tossing a pillow in her direction. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. I'll think about it, Miss All Knowing Ball of Wisdom."

Nazz threw the pillow right back, with decent aim.


	9. Chapter 9

**I totally lied last time 'cause I'm still posting on Tuesday. (I was originally planning on posting this Saturday as well, but that isn't going to happen, sorry. :P) But, goodies are coming next week, so that's a thing.**

 **It's hard to believe that we are this far already, but we are. (Maybe it doesn't seem far, but it is to me :P** **)**

 **The criminal case that Kevin talks about in this is actually a true story and is super hilarious.**

 **Thanks for all the views, favorites, follows, reviews. You all are super amazing, and I love you. These things really make me unreasonably happy.**

 **Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

Friday came around quicker than expected. Kevin had sent a quick text to Edd, saying to be ready by five and that they were going out. He rang the doorbell a few minutes late, receiving a scolding look once the door had opened.

"I know, I know. I'm totally sorry. Dad wouldn't let me leave on time."

With a slight (and very sarcastic) eye roll, Edd grabbed his jacket from the hook next to the door. "It is quite all right, Kevin."

Kevin let a sly grin slip to his face as he offered a hand out to Edd. The boy took it before being led across the street to Kevin's garage.

As he discovered their destination, Edd's grip tightened. "And what is your reason for dragging me into your garage?" He seemed to know the answer already.

"Well, you see…" Kevin moved to pull a sheet off of his motorcycle. "I think we should go for a ride."

Edd took a visible step back. "I assure you, I will not be 'going for a ride' on that."

"C'mon, Edd. Please?" Kevin stepped over to the nerd, taking his hand once again. "Just one little ride, just to the river. That's it. I'll go super slow."

"Do you realize just how many deaths occur due to traffic accidents involving motorcycles?"

"Yeah, but those are like always on the highways. We'll just drive through the neighborhood. And there's not much traffic around here right now, anyway."

"However…"

"Come on, Edd. Please?" Kevin's eyes were pleading, he almost considered dropping to his knees. "Just one ride. If you don't like it, you never have to ride on it again. I swear."

The debate was clear in Edd's eyes. He glanced apprehensively over to the bike before returning his gaze to Kevin. "You must obey all traffic laws."

"Don't I always?" Kevin questioned jokingly.

"And we must have protective gear."

Kevin stepped over, lifting two helmets from a shelf near the bike. "I'll go super-duper slow." He handed one helmet to Edd before replacing his cap with his own. He led the way to the motorcycle with Edd attached tightly to his arm. After straddling the seat, he reached out his arm to help Edd climb aboard.

With helmets clipped and Edd's arms strangling Kevin's waist, the motor was started, and they drifted slowly to the end of the driveway. "Okay, I'm gonna go now, so hold on."

Edd gave a slight nod, the two were off. Kevin kept his speed painfully slow as he headed out of the cul-de-sac and down the road. It took about five minutes to reach the river (a drive Kevin could make in two minutes and forty-five seconds if he tried). After killing the engine and propping the bike up, Kevin lifted himself off. As the two headed for the path that trailed around parallel to the river, Kevin could see how shaky Edd's hands were. He reached over with his own to give one a tight squeeze.

"Hey, you don't have to do that again if you don't want. It's totally cool."

Edd simply nodded. As they walked, though, he seemed to relax. At one point, he even pretended to attempt to shove Kevin into the river. In retaliation, Kevin tugged at the end of Edd's beanie, knocking it off center slightly with no risk of pulling it off completely. Edd, nevertheless, latched onto it tightly.

"Kevin!"

Simple laughs rang from the red-head, "What?" He reached for the hat once more with no hope of actually touching it.

Edd pulled back swiftly, "Please cease this nonsense."

Kevin laced his fingers behind his head. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You most certainly do." Edd shot him a weak glare.

"Oh, you mean this?" Kevin reached forward, tugging the front of the hat down below the boy's eyes.

"Stop it, Kevin, or else…"

Kevin merely laughed at the threat, pulling Edd into a hug. "Or else what? You'll break up with me?" He joked simply.

The smile, however, fell from Edd's face as he looked up into Kevin's eyes, fully serious. "I would never be the one to break us up, Kevin."

The red-head was caught completely off guard. "What? What are you talking about, Edd?"

"Exactly what I said, I would not be the one to end this relationship."

Kevin examined the boy for a moment; he was clearly serious. The red-head let out a nervous laugh, "Well, neither will I." He leaned down, connecting their lips slightly before pulling away fully.

"I guess we should start to head back. It feels like it's gonna rain." Kevin began walking back to his bike, glancing to make sure Edd was following.

The two walked the bike home, Kevin pushing with Edd walking along. It took almost half an hour to reach the cul-de-sac again, but Kevin couldn't find it in himself to complain. The walk was pleasant, and the rain seemed to hold off for them. Kevin parked his bike back in his garage, returning the cover sheet, before heading over to Edd's.

As the boy attempted to unlock the front door, Kevin picked up on the slight tremor that shook his hands and the distant look that clouded his eyes. The two settled quickly on the couch, and Kevin pulled the boy toward him, resting his head on Edd's shoulder.

He turned his head, kissing lightly at Edd's neck, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to freak you out that much. You don't have to ride ever again if you don't want to."

Edd wrapped his arms around Kevin gently, squeezing his hands into fists for a moment to calm them slightly. "I fear I was simply unprepared. I suppose I may find it enjoyable had I been allowed time to prepare mentally, and possibly if it had been on a warmer day and at slower speeds."

Kevin laughed a little, "Okay, I'll keep that in mind." He stood to flip the television on. He handed a controller to Edd, grabbing his own, "Now let's see if I can manage to kick your ass at a round or two."

* * *

"Okay, so he leaves the house, but he doesn't steal anything, and he leaves the computer logged into his webpage. Yeah, he goes back to the car and hotwires it and leaves or whatever. So, the worst part is that, even though they have his wallet, his keys, and his webpage, they still never caught him! Seriously!"

Edd let out a light laugh. "I am appalled they were unable to detain him. Considering his address would be clearly listed on his identification card."

"I don't know, maybe he didn't have one. Or maybe he was smart enough to leave it at home. Still, it's really stupid."

Edd laughed slightly before glancing at the clock on his nightstand. He stood, moving to grab his school bag from next to his door. "I suppose it has grown late enough. I should begin my school work."

"Aww, come on. Just hang out for a few more minutes?" He stood gathering the boy in his arms.

Edd rolled his eyes. "I suppose another half hour or so would not hurt."

Kevin shifted his weight, dropping them both onto the bed. He nestled in next to Edd. "You're such a nerd."

Edd chuckled. "And you are a bad influence on me." He tilted his head, placing a kiss on Kevin's cheek.

Kevin shook the words from his head, quickly connecting their lips. He could forget the simple comment. It was just a joke anyway, right?

The two continued to discuss various criminal cases they had heard, arguing over which was the most ridiculous. As time wore on, however, Kevin began to feel more uncomfortable. He knew Edd should be working on school. Even though they had just finished midterms, Double D had a lab report due in Biology by the end of the week. Kevin couldn't allow himself to keep the boy distracted any longer.

He glanced over, thinking of how to convince Edd to start his report without drawing any suspicion. Jumping up, he moved over to Edd's desk where he had left his phone. He picked it up, pretending to be reading a message. He turned to Edd, looking regretful. "Dude, it looks like I gotta go. Nazz apparently needs me."

Edd stood, moving to walk Kevin out. "I suppose it would be best if I began my homework."

Kevin grabbed his bag, and the two walked down to the door. Hesitating a moment, Kevin stepped forward, pulling Edd into a hug. "I'll talk to you later, kay?"

"All right." Edd pulled back, allowing Kevin to head out.

Kevin went across the street and into his house, sending Nazz a quick message that he would be arriving at her house soon. He hopped on his bike and was off.

* * *

"So, Dude. What's the deal?"

Kevin shook his head slightly, "I don't even know. It's not like there's really anything wrong, but still…"

"Just tell me what happened, Dude."

"I don't know. It's like… it just keeps coming up, and I tried not to think about it, but that didn't work."

Nazz rolled her eyes slightly and waited for Kevin to continue.

"Do you think… am I a bad influence on him?"

"'Course not, dude. Why would you think that?"

"Well, before, Eddy said that. And we weren't even dating at the time, I don't think."

"Really? Eddy?"

"Not just that. Edd even said it himself."

"Man, I'm sure he didn't mean it. He was joking or something right?"

"Yeah, kind of. But it's not just that. Like, his grades for midterms were the worst he's ever had."

Nazz remained silent for a moment before chucking a pillow at Kevin's head. "Dude, you are totally over reacting."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Just chill out. Everything will cool down after a while. You'll see."

"Okay. Whatever you say." Kevin chucked the pillow back.

* * *

Edd paused the video game, opening his phone to read the text message. Kevin waited patiently as the boy typed (agonizingly slowly) a response. With a sigh, the boy sent the message and resumed the game.

"What's up?" Kevin kept his eyes on the screen, actually trying to beat Edd this time.

Edd allowed his character to die, ending the match, before scratching underneath his hat. "It was just Eddy again."

"Oh, yeah?"

Edd remained silent for a moment, contemplating his thoughts. "I-…I was thinking about forgiving him."

"Well, if you think you should…"

"I suppose… in any other case, I would have already forgiven him. However, there was just something unique about this instance, so I have held my position much longer."

"O-oh." Kevin couldn't help but think that he was a big difference in Edd's life lately. He had been very adamant about how wrong Eddy was in this case. Kevin mentally slapped himself, hoping to dislodge the thoughts.

"He has apologized many times…" Edd almost sounded as if he was trying to convince himself more than Kevin. He returned to silence again before speaking determinedly, "However, his behavior was far from acceptable. His _joke_ was rather cruel and very elaborate."

Kevin let Edd debate with himself about the topic. He didn't want to sway the boy in either direction, afraid he would make another mistake.

"That's it. It is decided. I have no reason to forgive him based on a few mere apologies. He must gain my trust back."

"Yeah?" Kevin jumped back to reality about half-way through the comment, not catching on enough to elicit a real response.

Edd seemed to notice the oddity of Kevin's disposition, "Is there something wrong?"

"Oh, no. It's nothing."

At that, Edd gave him a completely disbelieving look, "You most definitely know that is not going to slide with me, Kevin."

With a sigh and a hand through his hair, Kevin attempted to phrase the worries that had been tearing at the back of his mind for weeks. "I…I'm sorry."

"What? P-please elaborate, Kevin. I do not understand your meaning."

"For being a bad influence on you."

"What do you mean?"

"I… I keep you up late, and keep you from your homework, and your midterms grades weren't as good as you wanted. And all this stuff with Eddy. He probably wouldn't have done anything if we weren't hanging out. And—"

"Kevin. Forgive the interruption, but you are very much misinformed on such things."

Kevin looked up at the boy, attempting to gauge his expression.

"Had I desired to be doing other things, I simply would. My midterm grades are solely my own doing. In all actuality, my exams were simply much more advanced this semester. I would not let something like a relationship influence such vital grades. And as for Eddy, he may have been instigated by the time you and I have spent together; however, that does not mean that he would not have pulled that prank or one similar had we not spoken. You do not need to be regretful for such things as they are far from your control."

Kevin stared at the boy for a moment before gathering him quickly into a hug that was returned equally. "You know, you're really amazing."

Edd laughed simply, "Why, thank you, Kevin. You are quite amazing as well."


	10. Chapter ?

**(Update 4/6/2016)**

 **This chapter is not remotely cannon. Please do not take any of it into consideration.**

 **Happy April Fools Day!**

* * *

Kevin stepped out of his house, blinking at the bright morning sun. He moved across his driveway, pulling his helmet over his head as he climbed onto his brand new, super cool motorcycle. He turned the key, grinning at the sound of the engine. He backed slowly out of the driveway before gunning it out of the cul-de-sac. He sped down the road, weaving in and out of traffic. He battled the yellow lights, maybe running one or two.

After an hour or so of pure joy, Kevin turned the bike around and headed for home. As he neared the neighborhood, he noticed a certain person in a black beanie wandering down the sidewalk. Pulling up quickly, he visibly startled the teen. At the noise of the engine fast approaching, Edd had dropped his stack of textbooks onto the ground.

Leaping off to assist in picking them up, Kevin grinned at Edd. "Hey, want a ride home?"

Edd jolted backwards, "No, th-thank you… I am perfectly content w-with w-walking."

"Ah, come on. It's not that far."

Edd began to refuse again, but Kevin would not let up. Eventually, the two climbed aboard the bike and started for home. Kevin fully enjoyed the way Edd's arms gripped his stomach tightly.

Kevin pulled the bike into his driveway and walked Edd over to his house. The two entered and moved to the living room. Edd flicked some documentary onto the television and joined Kevin on the couch. Kevin moved over quietly, smoothly, until he was very close to Edd. With the turn of his head, he connected their lips in a quick kiss. Edd eagerly returned it, shifting even closer. Kevin easily maneuvered himself above Edd, drawing the other boy to lay on his back. Kevin reached down, slowly grasping the hem of Edd's shirt, beginning to lift it up slightly—

* * *

"Kevin! Come down for dinner!"

The small red-headed boy adjusted his glasses as he saved his new document. He locked his laptop and grabbed his Quiz Bowl cap before heading down the stairs. He just couldn't seem to get any time to write without interruptions these days.

* * *

 **(Posted 4/1/2016)**

 **I am so sorry... Mostly sorry. (And please forgive how awful this is. I definitely could have done better, given more time.)**

 **Happy April Fool's Day?**

 **(Rev!Kevin probably belongs to Asphyxion 'cause he definitely doesn't belong to me.)**

 **The real chapter comes out on Tuesday, and it will be real. And, really, I am sorry.**


	11. Chapter 10

**I think it's still Tuesday somewhere. I swear I didn't almost forget to post this. (Except, I'm sort of a liar.) And I left everything on such a stupid note XD**

 **Also, my definition of "goodies" should probably be reevaluated.**

 **Anyway, I really do want to thank everyone who took the time to read this. And thank you for all the favorites, follows, and reviews. They all truly do make me happy. This has really been a lot of fun to write and I am really excited to go on from here. I have a couple more ideas planned that I'll get working on once this is all done.**

 **And I'm sorry if the next chapter (Friday's) seems disconnected or inconsistent. (It might not, I may just be paranoid.) Granted, I'll probably be sorry for Friday's chapter in general. Also, sorry for any language that may come up. There may be some offensive things. (Not much, though.)**

 **Okay, enough of me. Thank all you lovelies for reading this. I hope you enjoy~**

* * *

The two boys lounged on the floor of Kevin's living room. Kevin had his back leaning against the couch with his legs splayed out, and Edd sat in front, relaxing against Kevin's chest. Each had a game controller in hand, with Kevin's arms wrapped warmly around Edd.

"What do you think others would think of us?" The question seemed to come out of nowhere, but Edd's tone told Kevin that he was serious.

"Oh, uh… I don't know. I've never really thought about it." Kevin brought a hand up to scratch his hairline for a second. "I mean, it doesn't really matter. I don't give a shit what anyone has to say."

The red head leaned forward, placing a soft kiss on his neck, right below his ear. Edd squirmed a bit before speaking, "That is not completely accurate."

"Are you calling me a liar?" Kevin tried to joke.

Edd didn't bite, "In this particular situation, yes. I do believe that you are not currently being honest."

"O-oh… What do you mean?"

"What would your teammates think, for example?"

"Well… I don't know." And he didn't. He had no idea how his team would react to that kind of news. It really depended on the person, but even then, he couldn't be sure. "I mean… they already think we're friends, and they're totally cool with that."

"Perhaps. However, this is a different matter entirely."

"Yeah, I guess you're right… Sorry." Kevin took a breath. "So, what do you think?"

"Such things are not important to me, Kevin. I simply enjoy you." Edd looked back, reaching up to place a kiss on Kevin's cheek. Kevin responded by connecting their lips.

* * *

About a week later, the two were lounging once again on Edd's couch. Kevin had begun to keep his game system there and had taken to attempting to beat his next level. Edd worked on some homework on the coffee table, at times watching Kevin's character die continuously. After giving up on the level, Kevin glanced over to Edd. "So, uh… How was lunch with Sarah the other day?" Kevin couldn't help but ask after pondering the idea for days.

"It was quite nice. We had pleasant conversation, and the meal was lovely."

"Y-yeah? What do you guys even talk about?" Kevin tried to sound casual, abandoning his controller on the couch. He dropped down to sit next to Edd on the floor.

"Various things."

"Like?"

"School, I suppose, and books. Sarah does enjoy reading. We also talk about our friends sometimes."

Kevin couldn't help the grin spreading on his face. "So, have you guys talk about me?"

Edd's face reddened. "W-well, possibly, at some time…"

Kevin's grin widened, "You guys totally talked about me. What did she say?"

"I…I am sure I do not remember."

"Bull. You remember everything."

Edd fidgeted a little. "There was nothing to note. We did not discuss anything important." It was clear that Edd did not want to say.

"Really, you know you can tell me."

Edd simply shook his head.

"Is it embarrassing? Is that it?" Kevin nudged Edd a little bit.

"It is not that…" There was something off. Edd really didn't want to tell what had been said. Kevin felt he knew what the problem was.

"She doesn't like me, does she?"

Edd jumped slightly, scrambling to cover the thought. "No, no. It is not that at all. It is just…"

"Just?"

"You-you do recall that she has retained a sort of interest in me since we were children, correct?"

"Yeah, she followed you around like a puppy sometimes. But I thought that you and the other Eds got her to crush on Jimmy instead."

"I suppose that kept her focus for a time, but she did return to her previous feelings."

"Okay."

"Well, I guess after spending some time with her, after we began to converse about more… serious things, I began to underestimate her feelings. When… when I told her about… well…"

"What?" Kevin knew what the dork wanted to say, but he looked so cute, all embarrassed like that.

Edd took a moment to find the words, face darkening. "When I began to take an interest in you…"

"Yeah?" Kevin grinned, holding back laughter.

Edd remained serious. "She didn't take too well to the idea."

"So…?"

"So, she did not always have the most flattering words about the situation."

"Ah, she talked shit about me, didn't she?"

"I suppose you could phrase it as such…despite the use of quite vulgar language." Edd gave Kevin a pointed look. "However, it had nothing to do with your character. It was simply her reaction to…everything."

"So, does she still talk like that?" Kevin wasn't too upset. He could see himself doing the same thing if the tables were turned.

"At times, she can be rather unpleasant, but she has been understanding overall."

"Well, I guess that's good."

"I suppose. I have always assumed that she speaks similarly to Nazz as well."

"Maybe. Nazz kinda has a way of chilling people out. And she wouldn't believe any of it anyway, so…"

"Nazz is definitely an interesting person."

Kevin let out a laugh, "That's for sure. Did I ever tell you about that one time she tried to convince me that her fish drowned?"

* * *

The two boys walked along the sidewalk, heading home after school.

"So, how were your classes today?" Kevin walked a little closer to Edd, bumping his shoulder ever few steps.

"They were pleasant. Collin and I worked together for our biology lab again today."

"You work with him a lot, don't you?"

"I suppose. Our schedules are very similar, so we share many classes. Such has been the case since about middle school."

"Really? That long?"

"We work well together. Where I find myself lacking, he excels, and vice versa. It is a very beneficial partnership. Not to mention, he is generally pleasant to be around. We tend to have very interesting conversations."

"O-oh. I guess that's good." Kevin found himself walking a little further away from the dork. He began to wonder when he last had a conversation that Edd could have called interesting. As they reached the cul-de-sac, Kevin left Edd with the promise of heading to his house after changing.

As he moved up to his room, he continued to wonder. All they ever talked about were things like video games and movies and things, never anything smart. Kevin couldn't understand that stuff. He slipped into some gym shorts and a t-shirt before heading out to cross the street.

After knocking on the door, Kevin fidgeted a little. Edd answered quickly and lead the way to the couch. He sat, seeming to expect Kevin to sit next to him, and lifted his book to resume reading. Kevin, however, sat on the other end of the couch and messed around on his phone. He thought about texting Nazz and asking her if she knew this Collin kid, but he knew it was none of his business.

Still, Kevin couldn't help feeling that this other kid was way more compatible with Double D. They had classes together, could talk about "interesting" things, and even work on school work together. When it came to Kevin, Edd always had to tutor the boy. The only help Kevin had ever been to Edd in the realm of school work was when they were assigned to write a paper for Phys. Ed. (for some ridiculous reason). Kevin was able to explain the rules of basketball to the dork decently enough, but even then, his description was elaborate and disconnected.

Kevin gave in, pulling up Nazz's contact and sending a quick message. He got a reply within a minute.

 _From Nazz Van Fartonschmeer:_ Ya, I know him. He's in AP classes with Double D, right?

 _To Nazz Van Fartonschmeer:_ Yea. Dork was just talking about him again…

 _From Nazz Van Fartonschmeer:_ Rly? Ive seen them together before but theyre always doing school stuff.

 _To Nazz Van Fartonschmeer:_ Youve seen them together?

 _From Nazz Van Fartonschmeer:_ Yea… are you worried about it?

 _To Nazz Van Fartonschmeer:_ I mean its none of my business. But I guess I am a little.

 _From Nazz Van Fartonschmeer:_ Well, don't be. That nerd is a dweeb. Nothing to worry about.

 _To Nazz Van Fartonschmeer:_ But my nerd is also a dweeb.

 _From Nazz Van Fartonschmeer:_ Dude, chill. Youre thinking way too much into this. If youre that worried, just ask him.

Kevin exited the message and locked his phone, setting it onto the coffee table with a sigh. He sat for a few more moments, trying to decide how to bring the topic up to Edd. He had no idea how the boy would react, and he didn't want it to seem like an accusation. There was really nothing for Kevin to be even questioning. He knew that Edd wouldn't be doing anything behind his back, right? So, why did he feel like he had to interrogate about this kid?

Edd cleared his throat, knocking Kevin out of his thoughts. "Would you like to discuss what is currently on your mind?"

Kevin was about to consider the boy to be a mind reader until Edd scooted on the couch, lessening the distance between the two. Double D was smart; of course he could tell that Kevin was upset about something. Not to mention how well the two knew each other. They could easily pick up on those sorts of clues.

Kevin glanced over to Edd, seeing the deep concern in his eyes. How could he think that Edd cared about some kid in his class more than him? He was sure Edd never looked at the kid like that. Clearing his throat slightly, Kevin averted his gaze. "No. It's nothing. Just somethin' stupid."

Edd leaned back slightly to examine Kevin's face, coming to some conclusion. "All right. However, I am more than willing to listen to anything that may be worrying you."

With a sigh, Kevin supposed he should at least calm that part of his mind. Really, what could a simple question hurt?

"That… that Collin kid… a-are you guys close?" He glanced once more to gauge Edd's reaction. He seemed confused at first, but that slowly slipped into a skeptical gaze.

"Not particularly. We are merely classmates." He waited for a further explanation from Kevin, continuing after it was clearly not coming. "We have been classmates for a few years, yes. _However_ , we have never discussed much outside of class work and interesting theories. Why would such a thing matter?"

"I guess I was just wondering…"

Edd was silent for a moment before bringing a hand to rub at his eyes, clearly annoyed. "Do you really think I would convey romantic feelings for Collin?"

"Well, no. I just… I was just being stupid." Kevin crossed his arms in front of his chest.

Edd drew back even further. "Do you really hold so little trust in me?"

"No. That's not it."

"Then why would you ask about him?"

"I told you, I was being stupid. I wasn't thinking."

"But such an idea would never have surfaced had you held trust in me."

"I said that wasn't it."

"Then what was it? I would have never thought such things about you and Nazz. I have never questioned such things."

"I-I know. Edd, just listen. I trust you. I was being stupid."

"So you have stated." Edd stood, scratching under his hat.

Kevin followed, attempting to draw the boy into his arms. After Edd pulled away, he sighed. "I swear, Edd. I wasn't thinking that. It's just… I was… I guess I was just jealous."

"In jealousy, there is more self-love than love." The quote left Edd's mouth simply, almost automatic. His tone, however, was far from automatic, laced with hurt and anger.

Kevin paused for a moment, considering the words. Was his jealousy just him being selfish? "I… that's not… I'm not trying to be selfish."

Edd looked at him disbelievingly.

Kevin felt his voice faltering, growing fainter with each word. "I… I just think that… that you deserve someone smart…someone better than me."

Double D seemed to be caught off guard, turning to fully face the red-head. "Kevin, why… what makes you say that?"

"I'm not smart, Edd. I can't talk to you about interesting things, and I can't work with you on school work. I'm just…really lame."

Edd closed the distance between them, wrapping his arms around Kevin and pressing his face into the taller boy's chest. "Don't say such things. You are very smart and very interesting. Just because I do not converse with you about the growth cycles and physics does not mean we do not discuss interesting things." Edd pulled back a little to look into Kevin's eyes. "We discuss much more important matters."

"I guess…"

A small smile grew on Edd's face. Reaching up, Edd connected their lips, remaining for a moment before pulling away. "You need to think more of yourself. There is no one I deserve more than you, Kevin."


	12. Chapter 11

Kevin stood at his locker a while after the last bell rang. He gathered his things into his bag, careful to grab all his notebooks. He needed to be prepared for his study date with Edd. Just as he was closing the door, he looked around the emptying hall to see Eddy saunter up, looking as pissed as ever.

"Yo, Jockstrap. What the hell do you even want with Double D?" He got right to the point.

Kevin took a deep breath, thinking back to his promise to Edd. Even if they weren't talking, Kevin figured they would be friends again eventually. "Nothing. I'm just hanging with him."

"The hell you are. He hasn't spoken to me in weeks. I know I was a dick, but he always forgives me once I apologize. You know how many times I've said sorry to him? He's still ignoring me! What the fuck did you do?"

"Did you ever think that it might be because of what you did?" Kevin stated calmly.

"The hell it is! I've pulled plenty of pranks on him. And a ton of them were worse than that! And he has never ignored me like this before. The only thing that's different here is you."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Kevin asked against his better judgement; he knew what sort of reply he was going to get.

"You're changing him! He's different now and it's your fault. You know what Ed told me? He said that Double D did awful on his midterms. And that he has been getting B's on assignments for weeks now. And have you seen how tired he's been? I saw him fall asleep in class last week. So, once again, what the hell do you want with him?"

Kevin tried to hold in his anger. How could this twerp say those things to him? He had been beating himself up over Edd's midterm grades for weeks, so what gave that punk the right to rub salt in the wound? "Now, listen here, pipsqueak. I didn't do shit. I'm just being friends with him and that's it. If he isn't talking to you maybe it's because he doesn't want to fucking talk to you."

"Friends? When the hell did you want to be friends with him? You used to beat the shit out of us."

"Yeah, I guess I've changed since then. Unlike you." Kevin turned, not wanting to get further into this conversation. He knew it couldn't end well for him.

"Why Sockhead? Why not go befriend some other nerd? There's plenty at this school. Or is it because it's Double D? What you got a crush on him?"

Kevin's voice changed to a mumble, trying to disguise the anger, "Whatever, I'm done here."

"What? Late for your date with your boyfriend? Seriously! Leave him the fuck alone. He doesn't want to talk to you and he doesn't want to fucking date you. I don't even know what the hell you want with him."

Kevin spun around, grabbing a fistful of Eddy's shirt and slamming him into the lockers. "You want to know what's going on? Fine. Yeah, I like him. I like him a lot. And you know what? Yeah, I'm his fucking boyfriend. So, you can just leave us the fuck alone." Kevin gave him one final shove before bursting through the doors, glad for the walk to Edd's house to cool down.

* * *

"Hey, Dee." Kevin gave Edd a small kiss on the forehead as he stepped into the boy's house. He followed him to the kitchen, debating with himself for a moment before deciding to do the responsible thing. "Hey, uh, I gotta tell you 'bout something." Edd simply gave him an expectant look. "So, uh… I sort of got in a fight with Eddy."

"You what?" Edd's face was full scowl.

"He cornered me at school and started yelling at me. I was trying to keep it cool and leave. I didn't want to fight with him, but, ugh!, he just wouldn't leave me alone."

Edd sighed slightly, "Yes, I know how persistent Eddy can be. I suppose it is about time I forgive him. It may avoid more instances like this. I'm sure there is only so much you can take." He gave Kevin an understanding smile that inflated his guilt even more.

"But, hey. There's something else." Kevin's hand reached to scratch the back of his ear. "I… uh…." He thoroughly had no idea how to explain himself, mostly because there were no excuses. Before he could continue, Edd's phone rang.

Edd looked from the caller ID over to Kevin. "Excuse me, Kevin." He answered the call, his face falling.

"Hey, Sockhead."

"Greetings, Eddy."

"Dude, so what's the deal? Why the fuck won't you talk to me?"

"I was frustrated, Eddy. You must understand how I might feel in such a situation, considering the trick you played."

"What the fuck ever. It wasn't that bad, just a fucking joke. I've pulled shit-tons of them on you before, and you never cared this much."

"Unfortunately, Eddy, such ideas are exactly why I have yet to speak with you."

"Bull shit. You hang out with Jughead, and he used to beat the shit out of us."

"That is an entirely different matter."

"Oh, I get it. Too busy making out with your shovel-chin boyfriend to consider us anymore."

"That is quite untrue, Eddy." Edd rested his elbows on the counter of the island, allowing his forehead to rest in one of his hands as the other held the phone to his ear.

"Yeah, whatever." Eddy huffed over the speaker. "Whatever. I don't care. Hope you're having fun."

"Eddy, please do not be passive aggressive with me." Edd easily scolded his friend. "If you have something you desire to communicate to me, please simply state it without any dramatic pretense."

"Fuck off! I am so sick of your shit! You act all high and mighty to us all the time, but you're no better than us. You tell me to just say whatever the fuck I have to say, but what about you? How long have you been pulling this shit and avoiding me? When the hell did you plan on telling me that you and Shovelchin got together? Fuck! When the hell were you planning on telling me that you're a fag?"

Edd froze. He had nothing to say to that. He slumped onto the counter, resting his head on the cool surface. "E-eddy… I… I-I…" He really had nothing.

"You what, Sockhead?" His voice was cold.

"I didn't mean for it to turn out like this." Edd whispered to the counter, not exactly caring if Eddy received the words.

"How the hell did you want it to turn out? When the fuck were you going to talk to me?" Eddy paused for a moment. Edd could hear a low growl over the line, and dread filled his chest. Eddy had finally realized it. "Holy shit! Fuck you! You were never going to talk to me, were you? What the fuck? I'm your best fucking friend, you ass. Why the fuck? Do you not trust me? After all these fucking years? Or is it Jockstrap? Did he tell you not to tell me? What the fuck, Edd!?"

Edd's patients were wearing thin, and his emotions were running high. He did not want to deal with this conversation, and he was fed up with Eddy's words. "No, Eddy. In case you have failed to observe, I am my own person, and I am perfectly capable of making my own decisions."

"So this has been all you, then? You've just decided yourself to be a fucking coward and push away your best friend? Not trust me at all? What the fuck, dude? Why don't you just grow some balls and deal with it? Or does Shovelchin keep those safe for you?"

Edd raised his head from the counter, resting again with one hand massaging his temples. "Fine, Eddy. If you want to hear how it is, then this is it. No. I did not tell you. I did not plan on telling you. Because I thought it was none of your business. Because I thought it would only be yet another thing you could use against me to get me to go along with your stupid schemes. They have never worked before, and they surely never will. And I am sick and tired of you telling me what to do and where to go. I can spend my time as I please and with whomever I please. I am my own person, Eddy. I do not wish to be dragged along by you anymore. We are no longer children, and you need to grow up and take some responsibility for your actions. I am not the only one in the wrong here. You have kept many things from me in the past, and I never once said a word. I kept one part of myself from you because, no, I could not trust you with it. I knew you would use it against me in every way which you could devise. You cannot act so innocent and place all the blame on me. You must own up to your mistakes as well, Eddy. However, it seems as though you do not plan on such a thing anytime soon because you refuse to grow up and stop acting like such a child." Edd sighed as he finished. He did not plan on disclosing everything, but he could not find it in himself to leave anything out.

It was dead silent on the other line, and Edd began to fear that Eddy had hung up somewhere in the middle of his rant before he heard a few shaky breaths.

"Okay." The response was faint. "I guess I get it." And with a click, it was over.

Edd dropped his phone onto the counter before his head fell onto his arms. He did not enjoy fighting with his friend. They had been so close for so long, and now there wasn't much hope for mending the relationship.

Double D remained this way, thinking on the situation. After a few moments, Kevin spoke up, "Hey, um… I'm sorry…" He really didn't know what else to say.

It was then that a realization dawned on Edd. How did Eddy even know about him and Kevin? He knew Eddy well enough to be able to get by with it without the shorter boy catching on, especially since they hadn't been speaking lately. Was that what Kevin was going to tell him when the phone rang? He glanced at Kevin, noticing how guilty the boy looked.

"You… told him?" His voice was quiet.

Kevin kept his eyes glued to the floor, giving no further response.

"Y-you told him?" Edd repeated, staring at Kevin in disbelief. Eyes full of anguish.

"I-I didn't think… I mean…. I just… It-it slipped. But it's not—"

"Not what? Not what I think?" Those blue eyes slipped into a glare with the question.

"I mean… I guess it is, but-but I didn't mean to… to…"

With a sigh, Edd knew Kevin didn't have a way to finish the sentence. His voice softened considerably, "What were you thinking, Kevin?"

"I-I don't know…. I just got angry. He kept pushing me, and I just got pissed." Kevin knew his words expressed nothing.

"Just got angry?" Edd let out a harsh laugh, bringing a hand to cover his eyes. "Why—" He cut himself off to take a deep, shaky breath, feeling the slice of the words before they were even spoken, "Why did we even try this? Why did we think this would work?" His voice was almost a whisper, yet seemed to echo throughout the room.

"What? What are you saying?" Kevin tried to keep his voice from faltering. He didn't want to lose Edd like this, over his stupid, loud mouth.

Edd's head shot up. "This was never going to work. How could it!? How did you think this would result?"

"I just… I just wanted to be with you." Kevin took a step closer only to have Edd back away with his arms wrapped around his stomach.

"What did you expect to come of that? Did you think we would ride off happily into the sunset!?" Edd's voice cracked from the strain, yet he continued to yell. "This was all doomed from the start!"

Kevin looked at Edd with pure hurt as he tried to keep his voice even, "Then why… why did you even agree to it?"

Yet another laugh escaped Edd's lips as he smiled sadly at Kevin before looking to the ground, "How could I have said no to you? After all this time, I couldn't just say no."

There were a few moments of silence as the two processed and thought. Once he was sure Kevin was not going to respond, Edd turned, heading up the stairs to his room. He sat at his desk chair near the window, staring out to the rainy street.

Kevin found a place at the kitchen table, dropping his head into his hands. How could he have been so stupid? Not only had he ruined one of Edd's friendships, he had also ruined their relationship. He didn't know what to do to make it better. He didn't know how to fix it. But he had to do something. He couldn't just let this be. He stood, making his way up the stairs and knocking lightly on Edd's door before entering.

"Edd, please." His voice was soft as he sat on the edge of the bed close to Double D. Edd simply continued to stare out the window.

"Please understand. I was only trying to help." Kevin pleaded, his heart wrenching as he saw tears begin to glide down Edd's cheeks. He stood to move closer to the boy, kneeling at the side of the chair. "Please, Edd."

The glare Edd fed the window was full of anger, and his voice was too soft. "I never asked you to help, Kevin."

"I-I know that. I was just—I only—"

"I didn't need your help." Kevin jumped slightly at the voice, "I didn't want your help!"

"I know. I know. I just couldn't stand to see you so upset. I just wanted it fixed." Kevin pleaded with the boy, his heart tearing.

Edd's voice was seething, "I didn't ask you to help, Kevin!" He turned from the window to fully face Kevin, "I never asked you to fix anything! And I never asked you to fix me!"

"I know. I'm sorry." Kevin's voice sounded pathetic even to his own ears.

Edd lowered his volume once again as he looked back to the window, "Please leave, Kevin."

"But, Edd. Please. Please listen to me. I—"

"Just leave!"

Kevin stood. He wanted to so badly just explain himself. He wanted so badly for this to be over. But he knew it was time for him to leave. He let out a sigh and headed towards the door, pausing slightly with his hand on the doorjamb.

"You know I love you, Edd."

And he was gone.

.

.

.

.

.

The End

.

.

.

.

.

.

* * *

 **(Looking for more? There's a one-shot sequel: He Will Go. You can find it on my page.**

 **Thanks for hanging in there 'till the end. It was a ton of fun to write this, and I hope you all enjoyed it. Feel free to let me know any thoughts-even if its been years since I've posted this, I'll probably still look at them (life? what's that?)-on this or any of my stories, good or bad. I love to know what y'all think. It means so much to me and makes me so happy to read them. Thanks again for taking the time to read this. Feel free to check out my profile for any other-KevEdd-stories I've posted.)**


End file.
